BEHIND 
THE  DARK 

IBS 


.:•' 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 


"  '  Think  twict  befo'  you  speak  onct.'  " 


(PAGE  2) 


BEHIND 
THE    DARK    PINES 


BY 


MARTHA  YOUNG 

ILLUSTRATED      BY 
/      /  J.     M.     CONDE 


il 


D.    APPLETON    AND    COMPANY 
NEW  YORK  AND  LONDON:  MCMXII 


COPYRIGHT,  1912,  BY 
D.  APPLETON  AND  COMPANY 


I'Hlili*ln'<l   October,   J'Jli 


Printed  in  the  United  States  of  America 


THESE   TALES 
ARE    WITH    AFFECTION    INSCRIBED 

TO    THE    LITTLE   GIRL 
WHO     LOVES     THEM      BEST 

JULIA  YOUNG    CORLEY 


333701 


PREFACE 

the  dark  pines/'  that  was  the  way 
Mammy  loved  to  begin  her  stories.  "  Behime  de 
dark  pines,  chillen,  behime  de  dark  pines." 

That  was  where  the  rabbits  lived  and  kept 
house  queer  ways.  That  was  where  the  rabbits 
wore  clothes,  ragged  clothes.  That  \vas  where 
Mister  Mocking  Bird  told  tales  and  made  trouble 
for  all  his  bird  neighbors.  That  was  where  the 
snake-doctor  cured  his  patients.  That  was  the 
land  of  all  delightful  probabilities — "  behime  the 
dark  pines."  It  was  easy  for  the  children  who 
heard  Mammy's  stories,  half  believing  them,  to 
believe  also  that  the  land  of  all  mystery  lay  just 
behind  that  belt  of  pines.  It  bordered  our  whole 
horizon.  We  never  got  beyond,  we  never  saw 
behind  it,  we  little  Southern  children  who  listened 
to  Mammy's  stories.  Travel  as  we  would  from 

vii 


PREFACE 

coast  town  to  country  house  to  visit  our  kith  and 
kin,we  were  always  hemmed  in  by  the  dark  pines. 
To  this  day,  for  me,  all  mystery,  all  maybes,  all 
the  beautiful  strange  unknown  that  the  world 
may  hold  lies — just  "  behime  the  dark  pines." 

MARTHA  YOUNG. 


vm 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I. — WHY  BRER  RABBIT  WEARS  A  ROUND-ABOUT  . .  i 

II.— WHY  MISTER  FROG  is  STILL  A  BACHELOR     . . '      4 

III.— Miss  WOODPECKER'S  BONNET..     ....     ..  10 

IV.— BRER  LIZARD'S  STRENGTH  AND  WEALTH.  ...  13 

V. — Miss  RABBIT'S  WEDDING  DRESS  17 

VI. — WITCH  BLUEBIRD  23 

VII. — CRAFTY  MISTER  MAN  OUTWITS  BRER  B'AR  AND 

CUFFEY       29 

VIII. — WHY  Miss  RABBIT  NEVER  GOT  MARRIED     .  .  32 

IX. — WHY  BRER  BUZZARD  LIKES  THE  OLD  WAY  BEST  40 

X. — WHY  BRER  POSSUM'S  TAIL  is  BARE 44 

XL— A  MOSS-BACK  SINNER  IN  EVERY  MEETING 

HOUSE ..  51 

XII.— THE  BOASTFUL  FIELD  WREN 56 

XIII. — SILLY  SNAKE  AND  His  MONEY 63 

XIV. — BRER  RABBIT  GOES  LOOKING  FOR  TROUBLE  . .  70 

XV. — How  THE  HUMMING  BIRD  LOST  HER  VOICE  . .  76 

XVI. — BRER  POSSUM  ROUTS  BRER  LION 80 

XVII. — HOW  THE  NEWS  OF  THE  WlLD  WOOD   GOT 

ABROAD     . .     . .     . .     . .     83 

XVIII. — How  BRER  FLEA  OUTWITS  BRER  RABBIT  89 

XIX. — How  BRER  COON  LOST  His  SHOES      . .     . .  95 

XX. — WHERE  MISTER  SNAKE'S  CUNNING  FAILED  HIM  99 
XXL— WHY  GRAN'DADDY  LONG-LEGS  KNOWS  ABOUT 

THE  Cows        104 

XXII. — How  BRER  RABBIT  RID  OUR  WOODS  OF  THE 

ELEPHANTS       107 

ix 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

XXIII.— WHY  BRER  POSSUM  AND  BRER  PIG  PARTED 

COMPANY 117 

XXIV. — EVERY  CLOUD  HAS  ITS  SILVER  LINING  ..     ..  120 

XXV.— "TRUS'  OR  INTRUS'" .,  123 

XXVI.— How  BRER  POSSUM  LOST  His  OWN  SHOES     ..  127 

XXVII. — How  CARELESS  BRER  B'AR  LOST  THE  GOOBERS  130 
XXVIII. — How   MISTER   RABBIT  WAS   PUNISHED   FOR 

DISCONTENT     . .     . .  136 

XXIX. — WHY  BRER  Fox  DID  NOT  GET  THE  GOOBERS  . .  143 

XXX.— How  Sis  WREN  LOST  HER  PRIZE        ..     ..  148 

XXXI.— WHY  BRER  DOG  BARKS 153 

XXXII.— How  FAIR  MAID  GOT  THE  LAST  LICK        . .  161 
XXXIII.— SINCE  WHEN  MISTER  BLACKBIRD  WEARS  RED 

EPAULETS . .     . .  165 

XXXIV.— THE  FIRST  WALKING-STICKS   ..     ..     ....  170 

XXXV. — BRER    RABBIT    TELLS    ABOUT    THE    CIRCUS 

HORSES     .,     173 

XXXVI.— WHY  Miss  BAT  NEVER  SINGS       178 

XXXVII.— How  BRER  DEER  GOT  A  WHITE  FACE       . .  182 
XXXVIII.— How  MISTER  REDBIRD  GOT  His  COLOR     . .  189 
XXXIX.— BRER  RABBIT'S  TRICK  SAVES  THE  DEER     . .  192 
XL.— THE  HONEST  DOVE  AND  THE  DISHONEST  PAR 
TRIDGE      ..     .'.     .".     ..     ..     198 

XLI. — WHY  BRER  BUZZARD'S  HEAD  is  BALD         . .  203 

XLII. — Miss  REDBIRD . .  209 

XLIII. — How  BRER  RABBIT  GOT  IN  THE  WATER  AND 

OUT   AGAIN          212 

XLI V.— CHUCK- WILL'S-WIDOW'S  SECRET 219 

XLV. — How  FOLKS  LEARNED  TO  ROAST  POSSUM     . .  225 
XL VI. — Miss    POLLY    PARROT    MOVES    FROM    THE 

KITCHEN  TO  THE  PARLOR 231 

XLVII.— How  BRER  DEER  WAS  PUNISHED  FOR  STEAL 
ING  GOOBERS 237 

XLVIII.— BRER  DEER'S  REVENGE  ON  MISTER  TERRAPIN  243 

x 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

XLIX.— How  MISTER  RABBIT  GOT  A  GOOD  DINNER  . .  247 
L. — How  PEOPLE  LEARNED  THE  TASTE  OF  POSSUM 

AND  POTATOES        257 

LI. — "PREACHIN'  AIN'T  PRACTICIN'  "     260 

LIL— WHY  MISTER  MOCKING  BIRD  STAYS  AT  HOME  264 

LIII. — How  JOHNNY  MINGO  GOT  FREE  AT  LAST     . .  270 

LIV. — THE  OLD  FOLKS  OF  THE  WOODS 275 

LV.— THE  DYEING  EXPERIENCE  OF  MISTER  RABBIT  281 


XI 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

"  'Think  twict  befo'  you  speak  onct'  "  .  .      .  .     Frontispiece 

"D'rectly  he  'gun  to  speak  his  min'  'bout  hit"    . .     . .     . .  5 

"Her  next  but  three  ol'es'  boy" . .  19 

"Dey  all  went  to  town  to  spen'  dat  bale" 35 

"Dem  poles  done  burnt  in  two"     47 

"  '  You'n'  I  can  tetch  de  sky!'  "      57 

"He  jump  in  his  ole 'oman's  rainbarrel"       71 

"  'Here  dey  come,  ev'y  Preacher  Crow'  " 85 

"  'I  ain't  gwine  to  eat  nairy  'nother  frog!'  " 101 

"  'Brer  Elephant,  yo'  load  is  sky  high'  "      113 

"Watch  de  hens  hatch  fer  to  keep  up  wid  de  catch"  .  .      . .  125 

"He  slip  off  de  behime  part  er  de  dump  cyart" 131 

"'  Maybe  perhaps  you  dead,  too '"        145 

"He  pass  de  howdys  wid  Brer  Dog"      . .  155 

"Miss  Cat  washin'.     Mr.  Blackbird  watchin'  " 167 

" Brer  Rabbit  lam  hisse'f  in  de  back" 175 

"  He  got  de  big-head  all  in  a  minute  " 185 

" 'Is  you  see  a  deer  go  by  heah?' "        193 

"He  wan't  bal' -headed  den,  not  he"      205 

xiii 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

"Brer  Rabbit  shake  hisse'f  in  de  sun"  .. 215 

"She  distrus' us 'bout  Brer  Rabbit's  tricks"        ..     ...     ..  227 

"  'De  man  who  stole  thoo  this  knothole'  "   . .     ....     . .  239 

"Jumpin'  high-clippity,  down  de  road  to  Miss  Susan's"    ..  251 

"He  lit  out,  he  did" ..     ..     ..  261 

"'  I'll  sing  yo'  song— des  so!'"       ..     .. 265 

"Dey  bresh  and  fix  up  dey  nest" 277 

"'Go  way  fum  dat  do"  "        283 


xiv 


BEHIND 
THE    DARK    PINES 

i 

WHY  BRER  RABBIT  WEARS  A  ROUND-ABOUT 

BRER  RABBIT  wa'n't  al'a's  de  prankin', 
tricky  feller  he  is  now.  Not  him,  he  was 
rankin'  wid  de  biggoty  onct.  He  didn't 
wear  no  short-tail  round-about  dem  days.  Not 
him,  he  was  buttoned  up  befo',  and  swingin' 
round  de  behime  same  as  any  long-tail  broad 
cloth  nigger  preacher  is  now.  He  was  a  good 
un  to  rise  and  foller  den.  He  special  lay  down 
de  law  to  his  fambly  and  his  folks. 

One  night  Miss  Rabbit  she  done  stepped  'crost 
Quarters  to  beg  Miss  Goat  fer  a  pail  er  fresh 
milk.  Mister  Rabbit  he  had  all  his  chillen  settin' 
in  a  row  befo'  him  tellin'  'em  how  dey  bes'  do 
to  live  long  an'  git  wise  besize. 

He  standin'  wid  his  back  to  de  fire;  he  done 
des  made  dem  chillen  cut  a  big  back  log  and  put 

2  I 


BEHIND   THE    DARK    PINES 

in  de  light  'ood  chunks  a  top  dat  back  log.  He 
wa'n't  no  worker  even  den.  He  stand  frontin' 
dem  HT  rabbits,  tellin*  'em  way  dey  gotter  live 
ter  thrive.  He  say:  "Chilian,  al'a's  you  do  dis. 
Think  twict  befo'  you  speak  onct."  LiT  rabbits 
all  settin'  'wid  goose  flesh  risin'  on  'em  for  lack 
er  de  fire  heat  dey  pa  keep  off  'em  standin'  befo' 
'em. 

He  say:  "Dar  was  Sis  Mole.  She  speak  fust 
'fo'  she  think,  and  she  say  she  too  proud  ter  walk 
on  de  ground,  she  was  put  under  de  ground."  He 
say:  "Dar  was  Mister  Mockin'  Bird.  He  speak 
onct  'fo'  he  think  twict,  and  he  up  and  sing  de 
birds'  notes — he  keepin'  up  de  interest  on  dem 
notes  twel  yit."  He  say:  "Dar  was  Mister 
Robin  say  he  choose  a  red  vest  'fo'  he  think 
what  choice  was  de  bes'." 

All  dem  HT  rabbits  set  des  as  solemn,  thinkin' 
twict  'bout  what  dey  pa  say. 

1  Miss  Rabbit  she  come  runnin'  home  'crost 
Quarters.  She  say:  "I  see  smoke!  I  smell  fire!" 
She  bust  in  de  do'. 

Ole  Brer  Rabbit  he  yit  standin'  'fo'  de  fire. 
Brer  Rabbit's  coat-tail  was  afire,  was  burnt  off 
clean  round  de  frock,  a  rim  er  fire,  still  creepin' 
up  and  round.  Miss  Rabbit  she  say : 

2 


RABBIT    WEARS    A    ROUND-ABOUT 

"Chilian,   didn't  you  smell  smoke? 
Chillen,,  why  didn't  you  spoke?" 

LIT  Rabbits  say:  "Us  thinkin'  'caze  Dad  tell 
us  ter  think  twict  'fo'  us  spoke  onct." 

Brer  Rabbit  been  wearin'  a  round-about  ever 
since. 

Chillen,  it's  mighty  bad  when  yo'  own  good 
advice  turn  'ginst  you. 


II 

WHY  MISTER  FROG  IS  STILL  A  BACHELOR 

MISTER  FROG,  he  been  long  time  'low 
ing   to  hisse'f   dat   he  oughter   study 
'bout  gittin'  ma'yed.    Evenin's  mightly 
long   and   lonesome   settin'    on   er   slippery   log 
croakin'  'long  wid  de  rest  er  de  ole  rusty-backed 
bachelers  like  him. 

D'rectly  he  'gun  to  speak  his  min'  'bout  hit, 

he  'low: 

"Oh,  it's  wrong 
Put  't  off, 
S'  long"! 

» f~*  91 

S  wrong. 

Den  all  dem  HT  high-hollerin'  frogs  dey  tuck 
hit  on  deyse'ves  to  give  him  de  ansah : 

"Yas,  'tis, 
Yas,  'tis ! 
Marry  Liz! 
Marry  Liz !" 

Dey  des  keep  up  such  a  larment  all  thoo  de 
night  dat  Mister  Frog  gits  so  pestered  dat  he 

4 


'D'rectly  he  'gun  to  speak  his  min'  'bout  hit." 


WHY  MISTER  FROG  IS  A  BACHELOR 

des  up  'and  ax  de  nex'  critter  dat  come  'long  to 
ma'y  him.  And  he  couldn't  a-done  no  better, 
'caze  de  next  thing  dat  came  long  was  a  HT  bit  a 
brown  bird  des  as  light  and  lively  as  a  Mustee 
gal  wid  Mollygloster  ha'r.  No  sooner  did  Mis 
ter  Frog  ax  dat  liT  brown  bird  would  she  ma'y 
him  dan  dat  HT  bird  give  him  de  ansah : 

"Yes,  I   will! 
Yes,  I  will!" 

Den  de  Frog  and  de  Whip-po'-will  dey  was  en 
gaged  to  be  ma'yed  and  de  whole  plantation 
knowed  it. 

But  Mister  Frog  he  done  got  so  used  to 
bacheler  ways  dat  he  ain't  in  no  hurry  to  get 
ma'yed,  and  ev'ytime  Whip-po'-will  ax  him  when 
is  de  weddin'  gwine  be,  Mister  Frog,  he  'low : 

"Le's  put  't  off, 
Le's  put  't  off, 
Till  you  come 
From  de  Norf!" 

Den  Miss  Whip-po'-will  go  to  de  Norf,  whar 
she  do  stay  de  most  portion  part  er  de  year,  and 
soon  as  she  come  back  she  go  to  de  swamp  edge 

7 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

ag'in  and  she  ax  Mister  Frog  when  is  dey  gwine 
to  set  de  weddin'  day. 

Same  thing  ag'in  from  Mister  Frog: 

"Le's  put  't  off! 
Le's  put  't  off !" 

Den  Miss  Whip-po'-will  ax :  "How  long  is  you 
gwine  to  put  off  dis  weddin'  day?" 

Den  Mister  Frog  he  give  her  de  ansah : 

"Ten  !     Ten  !     Ten  !" 

He  don't  say  whe'er  it  ten  years,  or  ten  mont's, 
or  ten  weeks,  or  ten  minutes,  or  what ! 

Den  Miss  Whip-po'-will  she  git  mad  and  she 
'fuse  Mister  Frog  and  she  'buse  Mister  Frog  and 
she  say  she  lucky  to  lose  Mister  Frog. 

Mister  Frog  he  no  sooner  see  she  mad  and 
gone  dan  he  so  sorry  he  done  got  missed  er 
ma'yin'  dat  nice  liT  bit  a  brown  bird.  He  sorry 
twel  yit.  Ev'y  spring  er  de  year  you  can  hear 
him  hollerin'  over  behime  dem  dark  pines: 

"Oh,  I  wish 
Dat  I  had! 
Oh,  I  wish 
Dat  I  had!" 

8 


WHY  MISTER  FROG  IS  A  BACHELOR 

Whip-po'-will  she  flit  her  wing  and  go  up 
higher  out  de  swamp  edge  and  she  sing  back  at 

him: 

"Well,  you  could, 
But  you   wouldn't! 
Well,   you   could, 
But  you   wouldn't!" 

Dey  talkin'  dat  way  now  over  behime  dem 
dark  pines : 

"Oh,  I  wish  dat  I  had ! 
Oh,  I  wish  dat  I  had !" 

And  Whip-po'-will  same  way  ansah  now: 

"You  could- 
But  you  wouldn't!" 

Chillen,  when  you  has  a  good  thing  in  yo'  hand 
don't  let  no  anxious  mind  make  you  turn  a  loose 
of  it. 


Ill 

MISS    WOODPECKER'S    BONNET 

LONG  days  pas',  de  ole  folks  say  dat  Peter 
was  gwine  thoo  de  Ian'  janglin'  his  keys 
in  his  hand,  when  he  got  mighty  hongry. 
He  'low  he'll  go  no  furderer  twel  he  git  HT  bite 
of  somethin'  to  eat. 

He  stop  at  a  HT  bit  house  in  de  far  woods, 
arid  he  knock  on  de  do',  and  knock  on  de  do'. 

Nobody  don't  say:  "Come  in!"  Nobody  don't 
open  de  do'. 

Peter  he  knock  ag'in,  he  knock  ag'in. 

Nobody  don't  come,  nobody  don't  say: 
"Come!" 

D'rectly  Peter,  yit  knockin',  see  a  HT  bit  'oman 
peepin'  out  at  him  thoo  de  cat-hole  er  de  do'. 
She  down  on  de  floor  peepin'  out. 

Peter  say  he  want  HT  bit  er  bread. 

LiT  'oman  pull  de  latch,  don't  say:  "Come!" 
but  she  drop  HT  bit  dough  on  de  skillit  and  set 
de  skillit  on  de  fire.  She  say:  "I  wants  a  bonnet 

10 


MISS    WOODPECKER'S    BONNET 

to  wear  on  de  New  Day  er  spring-time.  I  wants 
to  look  prim  and  prime."  Dar  she  set  makin'  a 
HT  red  bonnet. 

Peter,  so  hungry,  knock  on  de  do',  ax:  "Is  de 
bread  done  yit?" 

De  HT  ole  'oman  set  and  make  and  trim  and 
give  Peter  no  answer,  and  don't  ax  him  in. 

Peter  knock  and  wait;  git  no  answer,  git  no 
bread. 

D'rectly  sech  a  smoke  riz,  and  sech  a  smell. 
Bread  done  burn  all  up. 

Peter  yit  outside,  yit  hongry. 

LiT  'oman  she  peepin'  at  herse'f,  turn  her  head 
dis-a-way,  turn  her  head  dat-a-way,  try  to  see 
herse'f  in  her  new  red  bonnet. 

Peter  done  wait  so  long,  done  got  no  bread. 
Peter's  bread  all  burn  up.  Peter  call  dat  HT  bit 
'oman,  tell  her  to  come  out  by  de  cat-hole.  Tell 
her  'caze  she  won't  heed  de  stranger  knockin'  she 
gotter  knock  all  de  time;  tell  her  she  won't  ax 
de  stranger  in  she  gotter  stay  out  all  de  time;  no 
mo'  house,  but  a  holler  tree;  say  she  so  proud 
er  her  HT  red  bonnet  she  gotter  wear  HT  red 
bonnet  all  de  time. 

Dat  she  do. 

LiT  'oman  she  slip  out  de  cat-hole,  she  flew 

II 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

to  de  holler  tree.  She  turn  to  a  woodpecker,  she 
do.  Des  like  Peter  say  dat  she  do.  She's  tap- 
tap-tappin'  all  de  time,  she  al'a's  wearin'  HT  red 
bonnet,  all  time  turn  her  head  dis-a-way,  turn 
her  head  dat-a-way,  all  time  tap-tap-tappin'. 
'Caze  she  let  Peter's  bread  burn,  she  don't  eat 
bread  no  mo',  but  des  worms. 

Dat's  Miss  Woodpecker,  too  proud  er  her  new 
spring  bonnet. 

Chillen,  hit's  good  to  be  proud  but  not  too 
proud. 


IV 

BRER  LIZARD'S  STRENGTH  AND  WEALTH 

BRER  LIZARD  sho  is  a  rich  man.    But  de 
richer  he  grow  de  mo'  manners  he  show. 
Right  now  ef  in  walkin'  out  you  meet  up 
wid  a  lizard  in  de  big  road  fust  thing  he  gwine 
do  is  to  bow  low.     Den  ef  you  stop  and  say  to 

him: 

"Lizard,  Lizard, 

Bee  and  Honey! 
Can't  you  show  us  folks 
Yo'  money?" 

Brer  Lizard  stop  right  dar  in  de  big  road  and 
poke  out  dat  red  purs'  dat  he  tote  at  his  throat 
and  to  let  folks  see  his  money  purs'.  He's  de 
onlies'  varmint  what  totes  a  money  purs',  least 
ways  he  de  onlies'  one  dat'll  let  you  see  it,  if  so 
be  dey  does  tote  one. 

Mister  Lizard  he  a  mon'sus  polite  man.  He 
ain't  much  of  a  laughin'  man,  he  got  too  much 
money  ter  be  gigglin'  round  wid  prank-playing 
critters.  But  his  cousin,  Ground  Lizard,  he  can 

13 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

set  folks  to  laughin' ;  he  can  set  folks  and  critters 
laughin'  also.  Ef  a  Lizard  bites  a  pusson  dat 
pusson  gwine  be  a  giggler  twel  he  die;  al'a's 
gigglin'  and  laughin'  and  don't  know  what  he 
gigglin'  and  laughin'  'bout. 

Dar  is  some  er  de  Lizard  fambly  looks  rough 
and  rusty,  dough  dey  is  got  rich  kin.  Folks  call 
'em  sometimes  Rusty-Mollets,  and  some  folks  call 
'em  Rusty-Back  Jeems.  But  dese  HT  rich  fel 
lers  of  de  Lizard  fambly  de  sort  dat  is  always 
sleek  and  fine  dressed,  cloze  er  changin'  colors, 
folks  calls  dem  Blue  Boys.  Dey  wears  a  red 
handkercher  round  dey  necks  long  with  dat  red 
money-purs'. 

Whar  dey  git  a  red  handkercher?  Dat's  hit 
now.  I  gwine  tell  you  'bout  dat  some  y'o'her  day 
— may  be. 

Rich  as  dey  is  now,  dey  was  all  po'  onct  and 
picked  up  dey  livin'  best  dey  could.  De  way  dey 
start  up  in  de  world  was  dis-a-way. 

Snake  baked  a  hoe-cake.  He  set  de  Frog  to 
mind  it.  De  Frog  he  drap  a  noddin'  and  de 
Lizard  come  and  stole  it.  When  Snake  come 
home  he  found  his  hoe-cake  gone;  and  he  'bout 
know  who  stole  it,  and  he  'gin  ter  holler,  he 
did: 

14 


LIZARD'S  STRENGTH  AND  WEALTH 

"Bring   back   my   hoe-cake, 

You  long-tail  Nanny, 
Bring  back  my  hoe-cake, 
I  got  it  fum  my  Granny." 

Lizard  he  never  paid  no  retention.  Des  go 
long  wid  dat  hoe-cake.  Hit  take  dese  sleek  ones 
to  steal  and  git  de  good  er  dey  stealin'. 

Dat  was  de  start  of  de  Lizard  fambly  gettin' 
rich. 

Dat  was  de  start  of  de  Snake  fambly  gettin' 
po'  and  stayin'  so. 

But  yet  Brer  Lizard  don't  ac'  proud ;  ev'ybody 
dat  speak  wid  Mister  Lizard  gits  a  bow  from 
him.  Sometimes  he  des  go  'long,  and  bow  low 
anyhow.  Folks  say  he  gits  his  strength  dat-a- 
way — bow  low  to  de  earth  and  so  he  git  strength 
and  longer  length  er  life. 

I  dunno  'bout  dat,  but  I  does  know  dey  got 
dey  start  er  wealth  by  stealin'  dat  hoe-cake,  'caze 
far  or  nigh,  all  over  dis  heah  plantation,  and  de 
next,  folks  tell  how  Mister  Snake  yit  holler  at 
Mister  Lizard: 

"Bring  back  my  hoe-cake, 

You  long-tail  Nanny, 
Bring  back  my  hoe-cake, 
I  got  it  fum  my  Granny." 

15 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

Hoe-cake  ain't  much  to  git  rich  on?     May  be 
it  ain't  but  den  it's  a  livin'. 

Chillen,  when  you  git  yo'  livin',  'tain't  s'  much 
work  den  to  git  rich. 


V 

MISS    RABBIT'S    WEDDING    DRESS 

MISTER  RABBIT  he  been  tellin'  his  ole 
'oman  fer  de  longes'  dat  ef  de  crap  be 
good  he  gwine  to  git  her  a  lawn  swiss, 
lily-white  weddin'  dress.     He  gwine  to  git  her  a 
pa'r  licenses,  veil  and  trail,  white  cotton  gloves 
also  same  as  rich,  big  niggers  is  bu'y'd  in.     He 
gwine  have  her  bake  a  weddin'  cake  fer  to  have 
a  sho'  'nough  stomped  down  weddin1  supper. 

Come  gadderin'  time  Mister  Rabbit  see  he  done 
made  a  rale  good  crap.  He  say  he  know  dat  de 
'vancin'  man  can't  take  all  dat  crap,  fer  he  say 
he  do  'clar  de  whole  endurin'  year  he  ain't  take 
up  s'much  as  one  crocus  sack  er  pervigils. 

Miss  Rabbit  she  say  yas  she  sho  do  know  dat 
her'n'  de  chillen  done  been  on  half  rations  and 
raggity  all  de  year. 

Mister  Rabbit  he  hitch  up  de  double  team,  he 
do,   fine  yoke  er  steers  dat  Miss  Rabbit  done 
fotch  up  right  round  de  do',  and  he  start  to  town 
wid  de  whole  year's  crap,  bag  and  bale. 
3  17 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

When  he  done  drive  so  far  as  to  de  top  er  de 
gravel  hill,  he  turn  round,  shake  his  hand  good 
bye  to  Miss  Rabbit,  tell  her  she  nummine,  she 
des  look  out  now  fer  him  to  git  back  and  bring 
her  dat  weddin'  dress,  veil  and  trail,  pa'r  licenses. 

No  sooner  Mister  Rabbit  he  good  gone  dan 
Miss  Rabbit  she  up  and  sont  de  six'  from  de 
baby  chile  'crost  Quarters  fer  to  tell  her  old  feller 
servant  friend,  Miss  Owl,  fer  to  come  over  to  her 
house  fer  to  comb,  grease  and  fresh  wrop  her 
ha'r  fer  her. 

Miss  Rabbit  she  done  a'  ready  put  coals  on  de 
skillet  lid  fer  to  bake  dat  weddin'  cake. 

'Twa'n't  no  long  time  befo'  de  smell  er  dat 
cake  got  round  de  plantation  and  also  de  news 
dat  Miss  Rabbit  gwine  to  have  a  rale  stomped 
down  weddin',  weddin'  cake,  weddin'  dress,  trail 
and  veil,  pa'r  licenses,  and  gloves. 

Ev'ybody  drap  in  to  pass  de  howdys  and  to 
talk  'bout  de  ole  times.  De  cabin  flo'  done 
scrubbed,  de  hea'th  done  redded  wid  smashed  up 
brick  dust  'solved  in  milk,  cedar  boughs  dipped 
in  flour  was  stuck  round  de  top  er  de  walls  in 
side,  taller  candles  des  ready  fer  to  light  was  in 
two  bottles  on  de  fire-boa'd.  De  chillen  all  settin' 
round  like  Sunday,  all  got  dey  heads  combed, 

18 


T^^v 


"Her  next  but  three  ol'es'  boy." 


MISS    RABBIT'S    WEDDING    DRESS 

greased  and  fresh  wropped.  Dey  all  set  and 
wait. 

Sun  'bout  to  go  down.  Miss  Rabbit  and  dem 
done  wait  s?  long  fer  Mister  Rabbit  to  git  home 
from  de  town  dat  Miss  Owl  she  git  in  a  gre't 
flutter  wid  waitin'.  Miss  Rabbit  she  sent  her 
next  but  three  ol'es'  boy  up  de  road  a  piece.  She 
tell  him  look  do  he  see  his  daddy  comin',  she 
tell  him  put  his  year  down  to  de  ground  hear 
do  he  hear  his  daddy  comin'. 

D'rectly  de  boy  come  runnin'  back,  tell  his 
mammy  yas  he  see  he  daddy  comin'.  Say  de 
steers  gone,  de  waggin  gone,  de  cotton  gone. 
Des  daddy  come  a-walkin'  and  a-wobbliir  down 
de  big  road  wid  a  jug  a-swingin'  on  his  back. 
Lawsy-massy-me ! 

Miss  Owl,  when  she  hear  dat,  she  put  up  her 
hand  and  laugh  behime  it.  Miss  Rabbit  went 
out  de  do',  she  did,  she  put  her  foot  in  de  road, 
she  did,  her  headhandkercher  wavin'  out  behime 
arguin'  wid  de  breeze  as  she  go.  When  she  retch 
Mister  Rabbit  comin'  she  ax  him  whar  dat  wed- 
din'  dress,  veil  and  trail. 

Mister  Rabbit  he  clap  his  hands  toge'her  best 
he  could;  he  say  dat  he  'clar'  to  goodness  ef  dat 
weddin'  dress,  veil  and  trail  ain't  done  clean  slip 

21 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

his  'membrance !  He  'low  dat  now  how  de 
'vancin'  man  done  des  bodaciously  tuck  his 
whole  crap,  bag  and  bale.  Done  left  him  not 
s'much  as  a  cl'ar  dollar  off  de  whole  year's  crap. 
De  steers  done  runned  away  and  fell  in  de  creek, 
de  one  done  broke  his  neck  and  de  y'o'her  done 
got  drownded,  de  waggin  so  bad  broke  up  hit 
done  left  at  de  shop  to  be  mend. 

Miss  Rabbit  she  don't  say  no  word.  She  got 
no  word  to  say. 

When  she  git  to  de  house  do'  dar  she  see  Miss 
Owl  standin'  wid  her  knittin'  roll  up  ready  fer 
startin'  'crost  Quarters.  She  ax  Miss  Rabbit 
what  time  and  hour  shall  she  come  back  fer  de 
weddin'  and  de  weddin'  supper. 

Miss  Rabbit  say  she  is  des  done  notice  dat  dar 
is  a  sad  streak  in  de  cake  dat  she  is  dqne  bake, 
and  she  say  she  don't  and  she  won't  ax  no  com- 
p'ny  to  her  house  fer  to  eat  sad  cake. 

Miss  Owl  she  click  her  knittin'  needles  to- 
ge'her  and  she  laugh  behime  her  hand  ag'in,  den 
off  she  go  'crost  Quarters.  She  know  dar  won't 
be  no  weddin'  in  dat  house  dat  night. 

Chillen,  Mister  Rabbit  he  know,  like  de  rest 
of  de  old  folks,  dat  de  knot  dat  you  tie  wid  yo' 
tongue  you  can't  easy  untie  wid  yo'  teef. 

22 


VI 

WITCH    BLUEBIRD 

LONG  in  de  fust  time  thar  was  a  planta 
tion  \vhar  folks  was  pestered  nigh  'bout 
to  death  bein'  rid  by  de  witches.      In 
nigh  'bout  ev'y  cabin  in  de  Quarter  somebody 
was  rid  ev'y  night  by  de  witches.      Ev'ybody  on 
de  plantation  knowed  dat  somebody  on  dat  plan 
tation  sho  was  gittin'  outer  dey  skin  and  becomin' 
into  a  witch  to  ride  folks  of  nights.    But  dat  was 
hit — who  ? 

One  night  nigh  'bout  ev'y  cabin  got  fixed  fer 
ter  cotch  dat  witch.  One  'oman  she  hung  er 
ha'r-sifter  over  de  lintel  of  de  do',  and  whatever 
witch  come  in  dat  cabin  gotter  count  all  de  holes 
in  dat  sifter  'fo'  he  cross  de  do'.  'Xother  'oman 
she  put  a  cup  of  mustard  seed  on  de  threshold 
er  her  do',  and  dat  witch  gotter  count  all  dem 
mustard  seed  'fo'  he  cross  de  threshold  of  dat 
do'.  'Xother  'oman  she  cross  cotton  cards  over 
de  bed-head.  Dat  witch  gotter  count  ev'y  toof 
in  dem  cotton  cards  'fo'  he  kin  ride  her.  'Xother 

23 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

one  she  spread  cotton  seed  thick  over  and  under 
de  bed.  Ev'y  one  dem  cotton  seed  gotter  be 
count  'fo'  de  witch  can  come  in  dat  do'. 

De  'oman  livin'  in  de  end  cabin  in  de  Quarter, 
she  didn't  tell  nobody  what  she  gwine  do. 

'Way  turn  er  de  night  de  man  in  dat  Quarter 
what  was  de  witch-man  he  got  up,  he  rub  the 
right  hand  over  de  left  wrist,  and  over  de  left 
elbow,  and  over  de  left  shoulder-j'int.  He  rub 
de  left  hand  over  de  right  wrist,  de  right  elbow 
and  de  right  shoulder  j'int.  He  rub  bof  de  hands 
over  all  de  rest  of  his  j'ints,  as  he  rub,  he  say: 

"Ouch— oo ! 
Ouch— oo !" 

And,  as  he  say  dat,  he  slip  out  er  his  skin,  he 
lef  his  skin  behime  and  start  in  and  thoo  de 
Quarter  to  see  who  he  can  fin'  to  ride,  and  to 
pester  all  ways. 

He  come  to  de  do'  whar  de  sifter  hung.  He 
won't  stay  dar.  De  nex'  do'  dar  was  de  mustard 
seed.  He  won't  stay  dar.  De  nex'  house  he 
went  in,  dar  de  cotton  cards  'crost  above  de  bed 
head.  He  can't  ride  nobody  in  dat  bed. 

He  got  to  all  de  cabins  and  some'in'  stop  him 
ev'y  time  twel  he  come  to  de  las'  cabin  in  de 

24 


WITCH    BLUEBIRD 


Quarter.  He  don't  see  nothin'  dar.  Dat  time 
he  worrited  out.  He  mos'  too  tired  to  ride  and 
pester  people. 

He  see  a  gre't  big  splint-bottom  rockin'-cheer 
wid  a  nine-patch  cushion  on  it.  He  so  tired  he 
'low  he'll  drap  in  dat  cheer  fer  ter  rest  a  spell 
'fo'  he  'gin  to  play  his  pranks,  tyin'  stirrups  in 
folks'  h'ar  and  sech.  He  drap  in  de  cheer  and 
he  'low: 

"Ouch — oo  !     Ouch — oo  ! 
Tired,    too!      Tired,    too!" 

Dar!  Chillen,  HT  mo'n  dat  man'd  been  settin' 
dar  twel  yit. 

Dat  'oman  in  dat  las'  cabin  in  de  Quarter  she 
knowed  all  de  Conjure  and  de  Hands,  she  did. 
She  done  stuck  a  three-prong  fork  up  under  dat 
cheer.  A  witch  can't  move  ef  he  happen  to  set 
down  in  a  cheer  dat  has  got  a  three-prong  fork 
stuck  in  it. 

All  night  dat  ole  witch-man  set  dar  in  dat 
cheer  des  as  still.  He  look  dis  way.  He  look 
dat  way,  des  like  you  see  a  bluebird  turnin'  and 
lookin'  on  a  limb. 

When  fust  day  come,  dat  'oman  'gun  to  stir, 

25 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

she  did.  Soon  as  she  open  her  eyes  she  look 
toward  dat  cheer. 

Dar  in  dat  cheer,  top  er  dat  nine-patch  cushion, 
sat  dat  witch  man.  Dar  he  sat.  Shoulders  all 
hunched  up,  he  look  rale  ashy  in  de  daylight. 
He  so  skeered  up  he  look  right  rale  blue.  His 
shirt  stickin'  thoo  de  rags  in  his  cloze  look  like 
white  patches  on  him. 

Dat  'oman  she  riz  up  in  bed,  she  'low:  "Who 
you?" 

Dat  ole  witch-man  he  git  mo'  blue  and  ashy; 
he  hunch  up  his  shoulders,  he  'low: 

"Well,    I    mus'    go! 

(Des  so.) 

Well,    I    mus'    go! 
(Des  so.)" 

But,  chillen,  he  couldn't  go  long  as  dat  three- 
prong  fork  stuck  in  dat  cheer. 

Dat  'oman  say,  witch-like  as  he  is  outer  his 
natchel  skin,  she  done  cotch  de  feature  of  him 
and  she  know  who  he  is. 

He  des  sot  dar.  His  shoulders  hunch  up.  He 
look  blue  and  ashy  in  de  day-light,  he  kep'  sayin' : 

"Well,    I    mus'    go! 

(Des  so.) 

Well,    I    mus'    go! 
(Des  so.)" 

26 


WITCH    BLUEBIRD 


Dat  'oman  she  got  up  and  slipped  round  be- 
hime  dat  cheer  and  snatched  out  de  three-prong 
fork.  Den  out  de  cheer  he  flew,  hollerin' : 

"Ouch — oo !    Ouch — oo ! 
Out,  too!     Out,     too!" 

He  dart  out.  He  skim  out,  blue  and  ashy,  dem 
white  patches  des  shinin'  in  de  fust  daylight. 

De  'oman  she  run  to  de  do'.  She  say  to  de 
nex'  one  passin':  "Did  you  see  dat  witch-man 
fly  outer  my  do'?" 

Passerby  say:  "Naw,  I  des  seed  a  bluebird 
fly  out." 

NexT  day  late  long  'bout  sun  up  de  Quarter 
folks  went  to  dat  ole  man's  cabin,  him  which 
make  hisse'f  a  witch-man,  and  dar  lay  de  skin 
what  de  witch-man  done  wriggled  outer  night 
befo'.  Hit  was  limp  and  black  and  shiny.  Dat 
three-prong  fork  done  held  dat  man  twel  day 
light  and  so  he  couldn't  git  back  time  'nough  to 
jump  into -his  own  skin  no  mo'. 

Folks  on  dat  plantation  don't  put  no  trus'  in 
bluebirds  twel  yit.  Dat  distrusus  min'  'bout  blue 
birds  done  spread  thoo  all  de  plantations. 

Folks  say  sence  den  dat  early  morning  when 
dat  witch-man  got  cotch  in  dat  cheer,  him  and 

27 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

all  his  folks  is  turned  to  bluebirds.  De  boys  is 
bluer  dan  de  gals.  Dey  say  all  bluebirds  is  witch- 
birds.  Hit's  worst  sorter  luck  to  kill  one,  er 
harm  one;  nobody  don't  never  think  er  eating  a 
bluebird. 

Chillen,  hit's  mighty  bad  to  be  projectin'  roun' 
nights  outen  yo'  bed,  let  'lone  outen  yo'  skin. 


VII 


CRAFTY  MISTER  MAX  OUTWITS  BRER  B'AR  AND 
CUFFEY 

BARS  useter  be  thick  in  dese  woods  in  de 
ole  times.  Ev'ybody  went  'round  wid  a 
gun  or  a  knife  'counter  dey  mought  come 
'crost  Brer  B'ar. 

One  day  hit  happen  dat  Mister  Man  went  a 
piece  behime  dem  dark  pines  widout  no  knife, 
widout  no  gun.  Dat  ve'y  day  he  met  up  wid 
Brer  B'ar.  He  come  upon  Brer  B'ar  so  sudden 
dar  wa'n't  no  way  to  run,  nor  hide,  nor  climb  a 
tree,  nor  do  nothin'. 

Brer  B'ar,  he  des  flinchin'  in  his  skin,  des 
trimblin'  to  git  his  fo'legs  round  Mister  Man  and 
hug  him  to  death. 

Mister  Man,  he  study  what  can  he  do  to  keep 
Brer  'B'ar  from  gittin'  a  good  holt  on  him,  'caze 
he  know  ef  Brer  B'ar  onct  git  a  holt  to  hug  him 
dar  ain't  gwine  be  no  room  fer  hope  in  de  heart. 

Brer  B'ar  raisin'  up  on  his  haunches  and 
reachin'  fer  Mister  Man.  Mister  Man  'low  he 
try  some  'ceivin'  talk,  he  say:  "Brer  B'ar,  hit 

29 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

bo'  in  on  me  as  my  las'  day  is  nighin',  but  I  won't 
wa'se  time  cryin',  ev'y  critter  have  his  day  when 
he  'bleeged  to  go  'way,  but  ef  I  gotter  go  I  des 
ax  you  let  me  go  friends  wid  you.  Lemme  shake 
yo'  hand  same  as  you  was  a  feller-man." 

Dat  pleased  Brer  B'ar,  and  he  know  he  got 
Mister  Man  so  good  trapped  dat  he  don't  keer 
ef  he  do  humor  him  one  time. 

Brer  B'ar  he  hand  out  his  paw  to  Mister  Man. 
Mister  Man  he  shake  and  he  shake  dat  paw.  He 
say:  "Ev'y  time  befo'  dis,  Brer  B'ar,  when  I  is 
met  up  wid  you,  I  been  hampered  up  in  one  hand 
wid  er  gun.  Now  I  free  handed,  lemme  shake 
you  by  bof  hands  as  man  to  man." 

Brer  B'ar  so  tickled  dat  Mister  Man  treat  him 
like  his  ekal  dat  he  retch  out  t'o'her  paw.  Mister 
Man  take  dat  paw  also.  Mister  B'ar  he  stand  on 
his  behime  legs,  he  feel  des  as  weak  as  a  stream 
er  water  tryin'  to  run  up  hill. 

Dar.  Dem  two'd  been  standin'  dar  yit,  ef 
Cuffey  hadn't  a-come  'long. 

Cuffey  say:  "Hi!  What  dis  I  see?" 

Mister  Man  say :  "Mister  B'ar  s  tellin'  me  how 
to  ketch  a  fat  possum  'dout  huntin'  him,  and 
whar  he  keeps  his  best  bee-trees." 

Cuffey  say:  "Hi!  I  wisht  he'd  tell  me." 

30 


CRAFTY    MISTER    MAN 


He  stand  dar  grinnin',  Cuffey  do,  and  lookin' 
mighty  wishful,  his  mouf  des  waterin'  fer  dat 
possum  and  dat  heap  er  honey. 

Mister  Man  say:  "Well,  Cuffey,  come  'long, 
you  can  hear  de  end  of  de  song/' 

Cuffey,  he  come  up  scrapin'  and  bowin': 
"Thanky,  Massa,  thanky!" 

Mister  Man  put  Brer  B'ar's  paws  in  Cuffey's 
two  hands. 

Cuffey  took  a  holt. 

Mister  Man  say:  "Keep  good  holt,  Cuffey, 
you  safe  long  as  you  keep  good  holt,  but  you  is 
a  gone  nigger  ef  ever  you  turn  go." 

Wid  dat  Mister  Man  was  off  to  'tend  to  some 
business. 

Cuffey's  hands  been  full  ever  sence  dat  day. 

Chillen,  hit  mighty  wrong  to  try  to  take  y'o'her 
folks  jobs  'way  from  'em.  You  maybe  mought 
git  holt  er  one  you  can't  turn  go. 


VIII 

WHY   MISS    RABBIT    NEVER    GOT   MARRIED 

DE  disapp'intment  of  de  weddin'  hit  riled 
Miss  Rabbit  some,  but  hit  don't  rile  her 
like  Miss  Owl  laughin'  behime  her  hand 
done  rile  her.  Mo'n  dat,  Miss  Rabbit,  she  see 
time's  passin'  and  she  gittin'  ol'er  day  by  day. 
Nex'  year  when  pitchin'-crap  time  come  she  'low 
to  Mister  Rabbit  dat  she  b'lieve  she'll  run  a 
outside  patch. 

Mister  Rabbit,  he  say  he  don't  keer  ef  she 
do  so.  He  say  he  many  a  time  is  seen  a  half- 
acre  outside  patch  look  like  hit  made  'bout  six 
or  seven  bales  when  de  forty-acre  rent  land  in  de 
same  fambly  look  like  hit  don't  bring  'nough  to 
square  off  de  rent,  let  'lone  de  'vancin'. 

So  Miss  Rabbit  pitch  her  crap. 

She  'gree  wid  Mister  Rabbit  dat  she'll  work 
in  and  thoo  wid  him.  He  put  de  team  in  her 
patch  to  plow,  and  her'n'  her  squad  of  chillen 
dey  do  de  hoein'  fer  bof  craps,  him  'n'  hers. 

Ev'y  day,  way  'fo'  sun-up,  her  'n'  her  squad 

32 


MISS    RABBIT    NEVER    GOT    MARRIED 

was  in  de  fiel'.  She  tie  de  baby-rabbit  up  in  her 
homespun  apron,  swing  hit  'crost  her  back  by 
de  apron  strings.  De  ol'es'  gal  she  tote  de  bed 
quilt  fer  to  spread  in  de  fence  cornders  fer  to 
lay  de  baby  on  whilst  all  de  hands  hoein'.  Ol'es' 
boy  tote  de  bag  er  'taters  fer  to  roas'  in  de  fiel' 
fire  fer  dey  dinner.  Nex'  ol'es',  and  de  nex'  and 
de  nex'  and  de  rest  take  turn  and  time  about 
totin'  de  jug  er  butter-milk.  Ev'y  one  tote  a  hoe. 
Dey  work  dat  yeah!  Dey  \vhipped  old  Gen'al 
Green-Grass  clean  outer  dat  fiel'  dat  yeah. 

Mister  Rabbit  he  see  de  crap's  gwine  on  s' 
good,  he  ax  Miss  Rabbit  why'n  she  take  up  at 
de  cross-roads  sto'  some  on  dat  crap. 

Miss  Rabbit  'low  she  won't,  and  she  helt  out 
and  she  don't. 

She  tell  de  chillen  secret;  all  dem  hoein'  'long 
in  a  bret,  she  in  de  lead,  she  tell  'em  don't  tell 
nobody,  and  dey  done  holp  her  so  fait'ful  in  de 
patch  she  gwine  buy  ev'y  HT  gal  a  head  hand- 
kercher  and  she  gwine  buy  ev'y  HT  boy  a  new 
pocket-handkercher  fer  to  wear  and  tote  on  Sun 
days  and  at  hangin's. 

Dem  chillen  er  Miss  Rabbit's  dey  work,  dey 
did. 

When   pickin'   and   ginnin'    time   come   Miss 

4  33 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

Rabbit  she  had  er  bale,  she  did,  a  five  hund'ard 
full  bale.  Dat  was  a  clear  bale,  too.  Dar  warn't 
a  dollar  debt  on  hit. 

Miss  Rabbit  and  de  chillen  dey  sot  round  dat 
bale,  dey  did.  Dey  so  'fraid  somebody  gwine 
pester  and  projec'  wid  dat  bale.  Dey  watch  de 
seed-cotton  go  in  de  gin;  dey  watch  de  lint  cot 
ton  fall  in  de  pick-room.  Dey  watch  de  screw 
go  up,  de  press  go  down,  de  bale  come  out.  Miss 
Rabbit  she  gin  up  de  seed  fer  de  ginnin',  de  bag- 
gin'  'n'  ties. 

Dar  now.  Not  a  dollar  debt  on  dat  bale.  Dat 
was  about  de  onlies'  clear  bale  ever  ginned  in  dat 
neck  er  woods. 

Den  Miss  Rabbit  and  all  her  chillen  dey  all 
went  to  town  to  spen'  dat  bale.  Mister  Rabbit 
he  don't  go  wid  'em!  Chillen,  I  spec'  dey  don't 
keer  ef  dey  do  slip  off  from  Mister  Rabbit  dat 
time. 

When  dey  git  to  town,  cotton  was  gwine  dat 
day  at  five  two-eighths.  Miss  Rabbit  she  got 
her  mole-skin  bag  clear  full  of  money.  She  do 
like  she  say  she  gwine  do.  She  buyed  ev'y  rabbit 
what  she  say  she  gwine  buy  'em.  Den  'clar'  ter 
goodness  ef  she  didn't  make  right  fer  de  co't- 
house. 

34 


"Dey  all  went  to  town  to  spen'  dat  bale.' 


MISS    RABBIT    NEVER    GOT    MARRIED 

She  buyed  a  pa'r  licenses,  she  did.  Den  she 
laid  in  a  white  lawn  swiss  dress,  a  veil  and  trail 
and  gloves.  Dar  was  some  pocket  change  lef 
and  she  buyed  her  ole  man  a  palemeter  fan  and 
a  rale  white  man's  segar.  She  buyed  'nother  se- 
gar.  She  say  dat  fer  Preacher  Crow. 

Den  her  'n'  de  HT  rabbits  start  fer  home. 
Dey  go  by  de  cross-roads  sto'.  Dey  call  Mister 
Rabbit  whar  he  loungin'  on  de  counter  dar.  Dey 
tell  him,  ev'ything  ready  fer  de  weddin'  now. 
Dey  tell  him  be  sure  to  git  home  soon. 

Mister  Rabbit  say  he  'clar'  to  goodness  he 
gwine  git  home  by  good  sun-down,  let  'lone  befo' 
hit  be  good  dark. 

When  dey  git  home,  all  hands  set  to  work. 
Dey  scrub  de  flo',  dey  bake  a  cake,  and  dat  cake 
didn't  have  no  sad  streak  dis  time.  Dey  scrape 
off  de  bread  boa'd  and  go  to  cookin'  Johnny  cakes 
on  dem  boards.  Miss  Rabbit  she  sont  ag'in 
'crost  Quarters  fer  Miss  Owl  to  come.  She  sont 
de  ansah  fer  her  to  come  'n'  comb  'n'  grease  'n' 
fresh  wrop  her  ha'r  fer  her. 

'Bout  moon-rise  Preacher  Crow  come,  he  got 
his  book  under  his  arm.  Folks  drap  in  to  pass 
de  howdys.  Sis  Owl  settin'  wid  her  chin  in  her 
hand.  De  HT  rabbits  all  settin'  round.  LiT  gals 

37 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

got  on  dey  new  head  handkerchers.  LIT  boys 
dey  got  dey  new  handkerchers  in  dey  pockets, 
ends  stickin'  out,  and  t'want  no  Sunday  nor 
hangin'  neither. 

Preacher  Crow  he  gittin'  flustered  wid  waitin' 
so  long.  De  pa'r  licenses  on  de  table. 

Heah  Miss  Fox  come  down  de  neighbor  path. 
She  done  wait  fer  good  dark  fer  to  come  to 
borry  a  meal's  meat  er  pervigils.  She  see  so 
much  company  settin'  round  she  hide  her  gourd 
and  medjurin'  cup  under  her  apron.  She  'low : 
"La,  Miss  Rabbit  settin'  dar  veil  'n'  trail!"  She 
'low:  "What  y'  all  gwine  do?" 

Preacher  Crow  'low:  "Us  gwine  have  a 
weddin'." 

Miss  Fox,  she  'low:  "Den  what  y'  all  waitin' 
on?" 

Preacher  Crow  'low:  "Des  waitin'  on  de  bride 
groom.  Des  waitin'  on  Brer  Rabbit." 

Miss  Fox,  she  'low:  "You  wait  some  long 
time  den." 

She  'low:  "Him  'n'  my  ole  man  done  gone 
down  to  Chick-a-sy-bogue  swamp  wid  a  big  jug 
twixt  'em,  pa'r  fishm'  poles,  'n'  can  er  bait. 

"Dey  say  dey  gwine  stay  fishin'  till  daylight 
fer  de  suckers  what  won't  bite  'cept  at  night." 

38 


MISS    RABBIT    NEVER    GOT    MARRIED 

Lawsy-massy-me ! 

Miss  Rabbit  she  belt  up  her  chin  de  bes'  she 
could.  Den  she  fling  up  her  hands,  toss  up  her 
veil.  She  got  on  de  gloves,  too.  She  'low :  "Dat 
is  de  truf !" 

She  'low :  "She  dunno  how  come  she  clean  f er- 
git  to  speak  to  Mister  Rabbit  'bout  this  heah 
weddin'.  She 'do  declar'  ef  she  ain't  so  sorry 
'bout  she  fergit  dat."  But  Miss  Rabbit  she  didn't 
have  no  heart  to  cut  dat  weddin'  cake.  Sis  Owl 
she  cut  hit.  She  gin  all  de  chillen  some. 

Preacher  Crow  he  took  off  a  good  sized  piece 
in  his  saddle-bags.  He  went  off  smokin'  a  segar, 
Preacher  Crow  did.  He  look  mighty  anxious  at 
dat  y'o'her  segar. 

But  Miss  Rabbit  she  make  like  she  don't  notice. 
She  keep  dat  y'o'her  segar  fer  her  ole  man  when 
he  do  git  home.  De  p'ar  licenses  ?  La !  Dey  is 
twixt  two  clap-boards  now  in  de  bottom  of  Miss 
Rabbit's  cloze-chist. 

Chillen,  hope  and  hope  and  keep  hopin',  but 
don't  let  hope  cost  you  no  cash. 


IX 

WHY  BRER  BUZZARD  LIKES  THE  OLD  WAY  BEST 

LONG   time  Cap'n  Sparrer  and  his   folks 
been  raisin'  'taters  on  a  hill-top  patch. 

Dem  Sparrers  made  de  greatest  'mira 
tion  'bout  dat  crap  er  'taters.  Dey  say  dat  patch 
er  pervidins  is  de  'cassion  er  dey  bein'  so  rich, 
dough  dey  be  so  small.  Hit's  de  livin'  dat  dey 
git  outer  dat  crap  dat  make  'em  liable  to  be  rich 
'nough  to  hire  folks  to  do  work  fer  'em. 

Ev'y  spring  dey  hire  Brer  Jay  and  hitch  him 
to  dey  plow,  and  ev'y  fall  dey  hire  Brer  Bluebird 
fer  to  be  dey  watchman  whilst  dey  steal  Mister 
Man's  corn. 

Dat  hill-top  patch  of  de  Sparrer  fambly,  hit 
lie  right  in  Brer  Buzzard's  range.  Ev'y  year  by 
year  he  look  down  on  dat  hill  patch  and  see  dem 
Sparrers  workin'  and  diggin'  and  scratchin'  on 
dat  hill.  A  many  a  day  Brer  Buzzard  he  laugh 
at  dem  KT  birds  workin'  so  hard.  But  one  day 
he  circulatin'  round  'bout  he  study  'bout  hit 
must  be  mighty  good  to  git  a  livin'  out  de  ground. 

40 


BUZZARD    LIKES    THE    OLD    WAY    BEST 

Brer  Buzzard  he  know  ef  anybody  kill  him  he 
got  de  State  to  pay  fer  dat  killin',  but  den  he 
know  also  dat  no  man  don't  git  fat  off  his  own 
life  insu'ance  money.  He  know  all  dat  die  is 
his  claim  good  and  well,  but  when  dey  is  gwine 
die  and  whar  he  can't  tell. 

He  look  down  on  dat  HT  hill-top  patch;  he 
say  to  hisse'f  he'll  claim  it  and  he'll  name  it  for 
hisse'f.  Wid  dat,  he  clap  his  wings  toge'her 
like  a  thunder  clap  and  drap  'mongst  dem  spar- 
rers. 

Sech  a  flutterin'  and  chatterin'  and  a  hollerin' 
'mongst  dem  Sparrers  when  Brer  Buzzard  lit 
'midst  'em.  When  Brer  Buzzard  claim  dat  patch 
and  name  it  his'n,  sech  a  chatterin'  as  dem  Spar 
rers  set  up. 

"Hit's  mine!    Hit's  mine! 
Mine !     Mine !    Mine ! 
My  Grandaddy  lef  it. 
Mine !     Mine !" 

Den  dey  set  tellin1  how  sence  ev'y  season  dey 
grandaddy  raise  'taters  in  dat  patch  and  raise 
'em: 

"Big!    Big!    Big! 
So  big!" 

41 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

Dat's  de  very  word  to  suit  Brer  Buzzard,  he 
want  some'in'  big.  Dat  word  make  him  want  dat 
hill-top  patch  de  mo'.  He  croak  out  to  dem 
Sparrers : 

"How  big?     How? 
How  big?      How?" 

Dem  Sparrers  chattered  him  back  de  ansah: 

"Big!     Big!     Big! 
Big  as  my  leg  is!" 

Brer  Buzzard  he  look  at  dem  Sparrers.  Nairy 
one  a  mouf ful  f er  Brer  Buzzard.  He  croak  out : 

"How  big !      How  ? 
How  big?      How?" 

Dat  Cap'n  Sparrer,  he  ansah  back: 

"Big!     Big!     Big! 
Big  as  my  leg  is !" 

Brer  Buzzard  he  croak  out: 

"Cap'n  Sparrer,  I  beg, 
Lemme  see  yo'  leg!" 

Cap'n  Sparrer  he  stick  out  his  leg,  no  bigger 
dan  a  straw,  he  say : 

42 


BUZZARD    LIKES    THE    OLD    WAY    BEST 

"Big!     Big!     Big! 
Big  as  my  leg  is!" 

Brer  Buzzard  he  croak  out: 

"O,  ho! 
Dat  be  de  case 

I'll  eat  car'ion 
De  res'   er  my  days — 

O,    ho!" 

And  Brer  Buzzard  he  do. 

Chillen,  don't  be  too  quick  to  seek  atter  new 
things,  for  de  ole  ways  is  best. 


X 

WHY  BRER  POSSUM'S  TAIL  IS  BARE 

IN  de  fust  times  Brer  Possum's  tail  was  as 
bushy  as  Fox's  or  Squirrel's,  and  Brer  Pos 
sum  was  sho'  proud  of  dat  bushy  tail.     But 
now    folks   got   a    song    'bout   him,    and   it   go 
sorter  so: 

"Do  Squirrel  have  a  bushy  tail, 
And  stump-tail  am  de  Har' ; 
De  Raccoon's  tail  am  singed  all  round 
But  de  Possum's  tail  am  bar'." 

De  way  his  tail  got  bar'  was  dis-a-way. 

One  day  Brer  Possum  was  gwine  'long  de  big 
road,  shufflin'  long,  draggin'  his  foots  like  a  coun 
try  nigger,  when  he  see  Brer  Buzzard  gwine 
on  des  befo'.  Brer  Buzzard  lif  up  his  wings  to 
hop  over  a  ditch  'crost  de  big  road. 

Brer  Buzzard  he  a  mighty  bar'-legged,  bar- 
footed  critter  and  Brer  Possum  he  snicker  be- 
hime  his  hand  at  Brer  Buzzard's  bar'  legs  and 
foots. 

44 


WHY    BRER    POSSUM'S    TAIL    IS    BARE 

Brer  Buzzard  he  hear  some  'in'  gwine  on  be- 
hime;  he  look  back  quick  and  catch  Brer  Pos 
sum  snickerin'.  Brer  Buzzard,  he  say: 

"Um— hum!     Oho! 
You  gigglin',  Oho!" 

Brer  Possum,  he  ain't  sorry  he  laugh,  but  he 
sorry  he  caught  at  it,  he  up  and  say : 

"I  bound  to  laugh 
Des  a  grin  and  a  half." 

Brer  Buzzard  know  Brer  Possum  laugh  at 
dem  bar'  legs  and  foots  er  his'n  but  he  make 
like  he  dunno,  dough  he  study  right  den  how  he 
gwine  git  even  wid  Brer  Possum.  He  don't  go 
over  de  ditch,  but  he  come  steppin'  back  and  pass 
de  howdys  wid  Brer  Possum  and  dey  two  set  on 
de  road-side  ter  talk. 

Brer  Buzzard  he  ax  Brer  Possum  fust  thing 
how  come  he  so  feared  of  fire. 

Brer  Possum  he  a  timid  man  to  de  heart  and 
he  don't  want  ter  talk  'bout  being  skeery.  He 

say: 

"Who  say  I  feared  er  fire? 
Dat  man's   a  sho'   liar." 

Brer  Buzzard  he  say :  "I  glad  ter  hear  you  say 
dat,  Brer  Possum,  'caze  folks  is  telling  a  many 

45 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

a  tale  over  yonder  behime  dem  dark  pines  'bout 
you  feared  er  fire.  I  gwine  prove  you  ain't,  and 
den  I  gwine  tell  dem  folks  dat  you  sho  ain't 
de  man  what's  feared  er  fire." 

Brer  Possum  feared  right  den,  his  teef  des 
chatterin'  in  his  head,  he  say : 

"No  need  to  prove  it,  man, 
But   tell   'em   you    can." 

Brer  Buzzard  he  say: 

"No,   no,  ole  man,  oh, 
We'll  prove  it — des  so." 

Wid  dat  Brer  Buzzard  he  go  to  de  ditch,  he 
lay  two  HT  poles  'crost  de  ditch,  he  lay  on  some 
pine  twigs  and  pine  cones  and  build  him  a  fire. 

Brer  Possum  he  settin'  on  de  road-side  so 
skeered  he  can't  open  his  eyes,  des  set  grinnin', 
and  tremblin'. 

Time  Brer  Buzzard  got  dat  fire  cracklin'  and 
blazin',  he  say : 

"De  man  dat  pass  under  fire,  oh — 
Ain't   feared  er  fire  no  mo', 
And  nobody  need  sesso." 

Brer  Possum  he  snatch  at  des  a  chance,  he 
study  ef  Brer  Buzzard  go  under  fust  and  git 


"Dem  poles  done  burnt   in  two." 


WHY    BRER    POSSUM'S    TAIL    IS    BARE 

burnt  to  ashes  and  dust  he  won't  hatter  foller — 
save  bof  his  change  and  his  dollar.     He  say: 

"Brer  Buzzard,  go  fust, 
You   right   raly  must." 

Brer  Buzzard  see  Brer  Possum  trimblin',  his 
eyes  shet  up  tight,  he  so  feared  he  skeered  even 
to  look  at  de  fire, -let  'lone  go  under  de  fire.  Brer 
Buzzard  say: 

"Heah  I  go  under  de  flame, 
You  gotter  do  de  same !" 

Wid  dat  Brer  Buzzard  give  his  wings  er  flop 
and  dar  he  go  over  de  fire.  'Crost  y'o'her  side 
he  holler  back  at  Brer  Possum: 

"Possum,  yo'  turn 
Now    while   it   burn !" 

Dar  Possum  open  his  eyes,  see  Brer  Buzzard 
'crost  de  fire,  sho  'nough,  and  don't  know  how 
he  got  dar. 

Brer  Buzzard  holler: 

"Come  on  now, 
You    'clar    and    vow, 
You  wa'n't  feared  er  fire " 

Brer  Possum  know  he  gotter  go  else  have  de 
whole  settlement  down  on  him  fer  a  skeery  man 
5  49 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

feared  er  fire,  so  he  shamble  up,  grit  his  teef, 
tuck  his  head  down  and  start  under  the  fire. 
Des  as  he  got  most  under,  dem  pine  poles  done 
burnt  in  two,  down  dey  drap,  and  let  all  de  fire 
right  on  Brer  Possum's  bushy  tail. 

Dar.  Dat  tail  er  Brer  Possum's  been  bar' 
ever  sence. 

Chillen,  don't  laugh  at  y'o'her  folks'  troubles, 
'caze  you  don't  know  when  de  same  gwine  fall 
on  you. 


XI 


A  MOSS-BACK  SINNER  IN  EVERY  MEETING 
HOUSE 

FOLKS  'bleeged  to  'new  up  dey  'ligion  in 
de  spring.  Dey  kin  make  'rangements 
wid  de  'vancin'-man  fust  er  de  year,  and 
git  up  rent-notes  and  crap-liens;  but  when  hit 
come  to  dealin'  wid  de  earth  and  de  Lord,  dey 
gotter  wait  twel  de  spring  open  up. 

Des  as  soon  as  de  plum  bushes  'gin  to  whiten 
up  wid  buds,  den  all  de  wile  birds  git  together 
and  'way  behime  dem  dark  pines  dey  holds  dey 
Wilderness  Peas'.  Sech  a  groanin'  and  a 
moanin'  and  a  hymn-chune  singin'  as  dey  has 
den.  Ev'y  bird  gits  on  prayin'  ground  and 
pleadin'  terms. 

Blackbirds  come  fust,  flocks  of  'em,  all  de  con 
nections  and  kinnery  of  'em.  Dey  settle  in  de 
cane-brake,  'bout  de  thick  woods,  and  hit  go 
wid  'em  like  de  ole-time  song: 

"Said  the  Blackbird  to  de  Crow: 
'What  makes  de  white  man  hate  us  so? 
Ever  sence  ole  Adam  was  born 
Hit's  been  our  trade  to  pick  up  corn.'  ' 

51 


BEHIND   THE    DARK    PINES 

Sech  a  chatterin'  'mongst  dem  Blackbirds,  hit 
wos'n  a  whole  plantation  under  Viction  er  sin 
at  one  time.  Well,  de  corn  ain't  sprout  yit — hit 
easy  des  now  to  say  dey  won't  pick  up  corn — now 
— but  wait  twil  it  do  sprout. 

Bull-frog  he  ain't  no  church-member,  but  he 
Vise  dem  dat  is  how  dey  ought  do,  so  he  bass  de 
Blackbirds'  ballet  wid: 

"Don't  go 

Do  it  no  mo' ! 
Don't  go 

Do  it  no  mo' !" 

Time  de  Blackbirds  done  tellin'  dey  'sperience 
and  'pentence,  heah  come  de  Blue  Dartin'-Hawk : 

"If   I   thought  hit   is  or  has  been 
Fer  me  or  any  my  kin 
To  count  stealin'  chickens  a   sin, 
I'd  never  steal  a  chicken  ag'in!" 

Off  he  dart,  'caze  heah  come  de  Crows  in  a 
crowd,  and  Brer  Hawk  he  feared  of  a  passel  of 
Crows  same  as  de  deacon  is  feared  of  de 
camp'een  of  preachers  'lessen  he  done  save  'em 
some  and  most  er  de  'lection  money. 

When  de  Crows  'gin  to  settle  round  des  as 
solemn,  de  HT  Frogs  set  up  hollerin' : 

52 


A    MOSS-BACK    SINNER 


"You  late ! 
You  late ! 
Whar's  Kate? 
Whar'sKate?" 

Den  de  sec'et  was  out.  Dough  Brer  Crow  a 
preacher  now,  he  mought's  well  confess  wid  de 
res',  'caze  all  de  settlement  know  hit's  his  com 
mon  cry  when  corn  and  goobers  sprout : 

"Oh,  you  Katie, 
Le's    dig   goobers ! 
Oh,  you  Katie, 
Le's  dig  goobers!" 

Preacher  Crow  he  make  de  bes'  out  wid  de 
tale  dat  he  can.  He  say,  even  to  a  preacher  is 
des  a  human-beam,  and  bound  sometimes  to  make 
a  wrong  gleam. 

De  'members  satisfied  wid  dat,  fer  dey  don't 
any  of  'em  know  when  dey  gwine  step  aside  dey- 
se'ves  out  er  de  narrer  path. 

Brer  Frog  he  is  al'a's  to  remain  des  a  rank 
sinner,  and  like  a  sho  'nough  sinner  he  croak  out 
to  de  strivers  in  'ligion: 

"Ef  all   do   wrong, 
I  won't  belong ! 
Ef  all  do  wrong, 
I  won't  belong!" 

S3 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

Den  heah  to  de  wile  woods  come  even  Jedge 
Peacock.  Dat's  de  time  him  and  his  hen  goes 
on  long  'scussions,  and  yo'  Ma  has  all  de  planta 
tion  huntin'  'em,  can't  fin'  'em  twel  day  gits 
ready  to  come  back.  He's  de  Jedge  now,  yet 
ev'ybody  know  how  when  he  was  young  he  try 
to  break  into  Mister  Crawfish's  bank.  So  he 
holler  dat  he  also  done  wrong: 

"When    he's    a   boy 
Pea-hoy !     Pea-hoy !" 

De  Mockiiv  Bird  leaves  de  Gre't  House  yard 
to  come  to  de  Wilderness  Feas'  to  tell  how  he 
stole  de  fust  grain  er  corn. 

Den  Bull-frog  he's  at  it  ag'in: 

"You  stole ! 
You  stole !" 

Dat's  de  way  dem  birds  have  dey  Wilderness 
Feas'  ev'y  year. 

When  you  see  'em  ag'in  dey  light  widin'  and 
shinin'  widout  like  rale  church  members  'vived 
up.  Dey  say,  des  let  Mister  Frog  'lone;  let  him 
say  what  he  please  'caze  he  is  des  a  rank  wrong 
doer.  Dey  don't  mind  ef  he  don't  jine.  Dar's 

54 


A    MOSS-BACK    SINNER 


alVs  a  moss-back  sinner  on  de  back  seat  of  ev'y 
member's  meetin'.  And  dey  gwine  tell  de  worse 
you  done  on  you. 

Chilian,  hit  better  ter  tell  on  yo'se'f  dan  to 

have  t'o'her  folks  tell  on  you. 


A 


XII 

THE    BOASTFUL    FIELD    WREN 

LL  the  high-flyers  were  out  on  de  wing. 
De  Eagle  he  fly  clean  to  de  eye  of  de 
sun. 

Buzzard  he  so  free  of  wing  dat  he  sail  'mongst 
de  clouds. 

Up  go  de  Kiel'  Lark!  Whirl  right  up  from 
de  grass  to  de  sky,  twirlin'  dem  wings  up  so  fas' 
yer  scurcely  could  mark  whar  she  fly.  De  Mock- 
in'  Bird,  Dove,  Jay,  Bluebird,  all  have  mo'  sense 
dough  dan  to  try  to  reach  de  sky.  But  HT  Brown 
Wren  in  de  fence-cornder  she  chirp  out  to  Mis 
ter  Wren: 

"Oh,  me! 
I  see, 
You'n'  me 
Can  retch  de  sky! 
I  spy, 
You'n'  I 
Can  tetch  de  sky !" 

56 


•"You'ii'  I 

Can  tetch  de  sky!'" 


THE   BOASTFUL   FIELD   WREN 

Now  Wren  she  ain't  never  fly  no  higher  dan 
a  man's  shoulder.  De  birds  dey  was  clean 
'stonish  to  hear  her  talk  like  dat.  Yit  she  chirp 
to  her  mate: 

"Let's  try, 
You'n'  I, 
To  retch  de  sky !" 

De  birds  was  fair  scandalized  at  sech  boastin'. 
Wren  puttin'  herse'f  ekal  to  de  high-flyers. 
Ekal  ter  dem  what  had  strengt'  er  wing.  Ekal 
ter  dem  what  'blong  high  'nough  to  know  ev'y- 
thing.  Ekal  ter  dem  what  al'a's  went  high  to 
sing.  Dem  birds  was  sho  'stonished  ter  hear 
sech  boastin'.  And  dar  set  dat  HT  bit  brown 
bird  in  de  corner  talkin'  as  biggity  as  ef  her  wing 
could  medjure  sizes  wid  Brer  Buzzard's. 

Brer  Buzzard  he  was  de  fust  one  to  give  de 
ansah  to  Wren's  boastin'.  He  croak  down  from 
de  top  er  de  ole  dead  tree  whar  he  set,  he  say: 

"Haw !     Haw ! 
'Tain't  no  law 
'Ginst  tryin' 
High  flyin'." 

Lark  she  sorter  come  to  her  voice  also.  She 
sing  cl'ar  frum  de  grass-tuft  whar  she  done  drap 

59 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

in  her  'mazement  and  dazement  at  de  Wren's 
boastin' : 

"Pride'll  overfill  you, 
Boastin'  quick  to  kill  you ! 
But  fly  now  !    Fly  now  !" 

De  Dove  she  set  on  a  haw-bush  and  git  her 
speech  also;  she  coo  out  ter  de  HT  brown  boaster: 

"Ef  I  was  you, 
I'd  try,  too; 
Show  what  you  can  do, 
Fly,  you !" 

Even  de  Kiel'  Sparrers  what  fly  low  deyse'ves 
was  mad  at  Wren's  foolish  boastin'  and  dey  set 
up  de  greates'  'larment  at  Wren,  chirpin'  loud 
dey  was: 

"You  lie ! 
You  lie ! 
But  try! 
Des  try!" 

Nothin'  Wren  could  do  now  but  she  gotter  try 
whe'r  she  want  to  or  no.  Boastin'  done  put  her 
to  strivin'.  She  gotter  try  to  toe  de  mark  she 
done  made  fer  herse'f  in  her  talk.  All  de  birds 
was  at  it  now,  in  a  clatter  and  a  cry : 

60 


THE    BOASTFUL    FIELD   WREN 

"Try!      Try!     Try! 
Fly!      Fly!      Fly! 
High!  High!  High!" 

Up  hop  de  Wren.  She  built  fer  nothin'  but 
a  HT  hoppin',  flutterin'  bird.  But  hit  happen 
des  as  she  spread  her  wings  fer  to  try  to  fly  high 
as  her  boastin' — she  des  a  bunch  brown  feathers 
— heah  come  a  flash  er  wind!  Dat  streak  er 
wind  hit  dip  and  slip  right  under  dat  HT  bit 
bird.  Dat  wind  flash  her  over  de  top  rail  er  de 
stake  and  rider-fence.  Hit  dash  her  higher  dan 
de  tree  tops. 

La,  wa'n't  Wren  skeered  den!  She  open  her 
mouf  to  holler,  but  her  tongue  was  stiff.  She  s' 
skeered.  Wind  done  tuck  her  past  de  Buzzard's 
range.  Done  toss  her  beyant  de  Eagle's  way. 
She  see  Brer  Eagle  goin'  by,  she  feared  she  gwine 
to  go  mo'  high. 

But  des  den  de  wind  scoot  frum  under  her. 
She  'gin  to  drap.  De  Eagle  he  come  nigh  give 
her  a  slap  wid  his  wing.  Den  she  drap  to  de 
Buzzard's  range,  and  he  give  her  a  slap  wid  his 
wing.  Den  de  Kiel1  Lark  he  give  her  a  lick  as 
she  come  to  his  beat.  Time  she  get  down,  des 
ruffled  and  tussled  up,  to  de  range  er  de  Pee- Wee, 
de  Jay,  de  Joree,  de  Redbird  and  de  res'  of  'em 

61 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

— it  was  a  lick  and  a  kick  fer  de  boaster  as  fas' 
as  dey  could  git  'em  in. 

Dey  drive  dat  HT  bird  back  to  de  fence  corn- 
der,  dey  did.  Dey  sent  her  whar  she  b'longed. 
She  born  dar,  she  gwine  live  dar.  A  streak  er 
luck  may  fetch  up  de  boaster  awhile,  but  not  fer 
long. 

Chillen,  de  bragger  and  de  boaster  is  like  a 
balloon,  sho'  ter  git  bust  some  day. 


XIII 

SILLY    SNAKE    AND    HIS    MONEY 

"Po'  as  a  snake, 
Thin  as  a  rake; 
And,  I  tell  you,  I  know 
How  come  he  so  po' !" 

ONCT  in  de  ole  days  Mister  Moccasin  had 
des   shed  his  skin;   you  know   twel  yit 
Mister    Snake    do    shed    his    skin    ev'y 
spring  er  de  year.      He  was  lookin'  fresh  and 
new  in  dat  fine  spring  suit,  his  ole  cloze  lyin'  by 
when  'long  come  Brer  Lizard. 

Brer  Lizard  a  mons'ous  perlite  man,  he  is,  he 
bow — des  so!  Twel  yit  you  don't  pass  Brer 
Lizard  in  de  big  road  but  what  he  give  you  dat 
bow — des  so! 

Mister  Snake,  he  say: 

"Mister  Lizard,  howdeydo! 
Hit's  mighty  pleasant  to  see  you." 

Den  he  quoil  up  and  ax  Brer  Lizard  how  he 
like  his  new  spring  suit.  Brer  Lizard,  he  say: 

63 


BEHIND   THE    DARK    PINES 

"Fust  rate,  nice  and  new, 
Like  'em  very  well,   I  do ! 
But,  Mister  Snake   now,  I  say, 
You  won't  fling  dat  ole  suit  away !" 

Whar-pun  he  pint  to  dem  close  dat  Mister 
Snake  done  des  fling  off. 

Mister  Lizard  hisse'f  he  have  mo'  cloze  dan 
anybody,  but  nobody  don't  know  whar  he  do 
keep  his  trunk. 

Mr.  Moccasin  he  say  he  don't  'zactly  know. 
He  ax  Brer  Lizard  do  he  know  anybody  want 
to  buy  ole  cloze  mos'  as  good  as  new. 

Brer  Lizard  say  he  a'ready  got  suits  of  all 
colors,  but  he  say  he  don't  keer  ef  he  do  buy  one 
mo'.  He  is  got  also  a  full  purse  of  money,  'caze 
you  see  fer  yo'se'f  how  Brer  Lizard  keep  a  red 
purse  right  under  his  chin.  You  des  meet  him 
in  de  big  road  and  you  ax  him : 

"Lizard  !     Lizard  !     Oh,  la,  honey ! 
Lizard!     Lizard!     Whar  yo'  money?" 

Den  you  watch  him,  and  des  sho  as  sun  shines 
he'll  show  you  dat  purse. 
Mister  Snake,  he  say: 

"What'll  you  give — you — 
Fer  dat  suit  mos'  good  as  new?" 

64 


SILLY  SNAKE  AND   HIS   MONEY 

Brer  Lizard  he  bein'  sech  er  rich  man  he  say 
bole: 

"Wheat  en  chaff! 
I'll  give  you   seven  and  a  half." 

Mister  Snake  he  hum  and  haw.  Brer  Lizard, 
like  de  rich  man  he  is,  he  stick  to  his  price.  Mis 
ter  Moccasin  Snake  like  de  po'  man  gotter  take 
what  he  can  git.  He  hatter  des  take  dat.  Don't 
he  feel  rich  den,  new  suit  er  cloze,  and  seven 
dollars  and  a  half  fer  de  ole!  But  den  like  all 
po'  folks  he  don't  know  how  to  keep  money.  He 
ain't  got  no  purse  like  Brer  Lizard  is  got.  So 
fust  thing  he  'gun  to  study  'bout  was  how  could 
he  spend  dat  money  and  he  say  to  hisse'f : 

"What  do  rich  folks  eat,  Oho? 
Not  des  common  yittles — no." 

De  sun  was  a'ready  gittin'  low,  time  mos'  fer 
supper,  so  he  start  out,  sayin'  to  hisse'f: 

"A  rich  man  what  don't  hatter  beg 
Mought  like  a  fried  frog-leg!" 

Dar.     Mister  Frog,  he  was  right  in  front  of 
Mister  Snake,  gwine  down  de  road  to  de  swamp, 
hippity-hop !  hippity-hop !    Miss  Owl  she  was  set- 
6  65 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

tin'  on  a  c'ypus  limb  on  de  swamp  road,  and  she 
call  to  Mister  Snake,  her  'n'  him  al'a's  been  good 
f  rien's,  and  is  twel  yit,  says  she : 

"Whar  is  you  gwine, 
Twis'in'  like  a  vine?" 

Mr.  Moccasin,  he  holler  back,  he  do: 

"Frog-leg  fer  supper — see — 
Come  and  cook  'em  good  fer  me !" 

Mister  Frog,  he  hearn  him.  O,  la,  honey, 
didn't  he  hop  den !  Yit  hop  all  he  could,  Mister 
Snake  he  was  gainin'  on  him.  Mister  Frog  he 
a  mighty  slow  man. 

Miss  Owl  she  sorter  fly  and  flutter  long,  des 
a-keepin'  dem  two  in  sight. 

So  dey  all  go.  Mister  Frog  he  hop  and  he 
hop  de  bes'  he  can.  Mister  Snake  he  slip  and 
slide  'long.  Mister  Frog  his  breaf  mos'  gone. 
Alister  Snake  he  yit  gainin'  on  him.  Mister 
Frog  he  des  can  make  out  to  holler  like  he  do 
twel  yit  holler  when  he  bad  skeered: 

"Quit,  quit,  quit, 
Quit,  quit !" 

Ef  Mister  Frog  des  could  reach  de  water  den 
he  be  all  right. 

Dey  is  in  hearin'  of  de  creek  now.     Dat  water 

66 


SILLY  SNAKE  AND   HIS   MONEY 

sound  cole  and  chilly  ter  Mister  Snake,  but  hit 
sound  mighty  pleasant  to  Mister  Frog  hit  do. 

De  Frogs  on  de  logs  in  de  creek,  and  on  de 
y'o'her  side  of  de  creek  dey  hear  de  race  and  dey 
all  'gin  to  holler  to  dey  bro'her  Frog: 

"Wade  in  !     Wade  in  ! 
Wrade  in!     Wade  in!" 

Mister  Frog  he  hearn  'em  and  hit  cheered  him 
up  no  HT  bit.  He  hop  and  he  hop — and  den  he 
give  one  brambrougous  jump!  And  sho  'nough 
right  in  de  creek  he  went:  Blim-blam!  Ker- 
flam! 

Den  all  de  frogs  dey  set  up  sech  a  'joyment 
and  sech  a  hollerin'  'bout  dey  bro'her  done  got 
free. 

Miss  Owl,  she  set  on  de  creek  edge  and  she  feel 
sorter  po'ly  'caze  she  done  got  missed  of  her 
supper  of  fried  frogs'  legs  long  wid  Mister 
Snake.  Mister  Snake,  he  quoil  up  on  de  bank  fer 
to  study  'bout —  What  no\v?  Well,  he  study 
'bout  he  still  a  rich  man  anyhow,  and  so  he  'gin 
to  count  his  money: 

One  dollar !     Two  dollar !     Three — 
Much  and  mo'  dollar — see ! 
I'm   de   man    dat   yit   can    laugh, 
Fer  yit  I  got  seven  and  a  half." 


BEHIND   THE    DARK    PINES 

Mister   Frog  he   reach  out  his  head  out   de 
creek,  and  he  croak  deep  in  his  throat : 
"Ten  !     Ten  !     Ten  !" 

Mister  Frog  des  talkin'  his  usual  talk,  like  all 
de  Frogs  do  talk  when  dey  in  de  creek  safe  and 

cool: 

"Ten!     Ten!     Ten!" 

But  dat  make  Mister  Snake  madder'n  ever, 
and  he  holler  out  like  Mister  Frog  was  talkin' 
to  him,  which  he  ain't  studyin'  him: 

"Seven  and  a  half! 
Seven  and  a  half!" 

Miss  Owl  she  been  keepin'  school  so  long  dat 
she  got  sense,  dough  her  eyes  is  bad  and  she  can't 
see  fur,  so  she  des  lean  out  de  trees  and  she  say : 

"Ten's  mo'n'  seven  and  a  half, 
Ef  'twas  dat  why  den  I'd  des  laugh !" 

Mister  Frog,  he  safe  and  he  ain't  keerin',  so 
he  des  keep  up  his  usual : 

"Ten!     Ten!     Ten!" 

Mister  Snake,  he  git  madder'n'  madder,  and  he 
say: 

68 


SILLY  SNAKE  AND   HIS   MONEY 

"Seven  and  a  half ! 
Seven  and  a  half ! 
Ef  you  don't  believe  me — you! 
Take  and  count  hit  yo'se'f,  do !" 

Wid  dat  he  fling  de  money  to  whar  he  see 
Mister  Frog's  head  stickin'  out  de  water. 

Dar.  He  ain't  never  see  dat  money  no  mo' 
twel  yit.  Dat's  de  way  wid  po'  folks.  Dey  des 
flings  dey  money  way  when  dey  gits  hit. 

Chillen,  when  you  gits  hold  er  money,  keep 
hit — and  don't  count  hit  loud  nuther. 


XIV 

BRER  RABBIT  GOES  LOOKING  FOR  TROUBLE 

BRER  RABBIT  he  make  trouble,  but  he 
don't  take  trouble. 

One  day  lot  er  de  critters  was  met  up 
toge'her  in  de  wile  woods  talkin'  ?bout  dey 
troubles. 

Brer  Rabbit  he  come  lopin'  up.  He  stop  wid 
'em.  He  listen  to  'em  talk,  he  say : 

'Trouble,  trouble, 
Double,  trouble! 
What  is  trouble?" 

De  beas'es  all  say:  "Brer  Rabbit,  ain't  you 
never  see  trouble?" 

Brer  Rabbit,  he  say:  "Naw,  I  ain't  never  see 
trouble.  How  trouble  look?" 

Ev'y  one  er  dem  critters  is  done  see  trouble, 
and  mos'  of  'em  done  seed  hit  long  er  Brer  Rab 
bit,  and  hit  make  'em  mad  ter  hear  Brer  Rabbit 
say  he  don't  know  nothin'  'bout  trouble. 

Brer  Fox,  he  say: 

70 


'He  jump  in  his  olc  'oman's  rainbarrel." 


LOOKING    FOR    TROUBLE 


"Trouble's  comin'  dis-a-way, 
Trouble  may  git  heah  to-day!" 

Brer  Rabbit  say:  "Shoo!  Trouble,  trouble, 
trouble,  trouble!  Al'a's  talkin'  'bout  trouble. 
Wisht  I  could  see  trouble/' 

Brer  Possum,  he  say:  "Brer  Rabbit,  ef  you  go 
down  yonder  to  dat  rise  'midst  de  sedge  fiel'  you 
may  see  trouble.  Trouble's  comin'  dis-a-way." 

Brer  Fox,  he  'low : 

"Brer  Rabbit,  he  don't  dare  to  go, 
Don't  want  to  see  no  trouble — no." 

'Co'se  Brer  Rabbit  don't  wanter  take  no  dare 
off  Brer  Fox,  so  he  hatter  go.  He  lope  off  to  de 
rise  in  de  sedge  fiel',  and  dar  he  set  on  his 
haunches  waitin'  to  see  trouble.  He  was  a  pretty 
smart  grey  beas'  den,  up  and  over  all  plain  grey 
not  a  white  spot  on  him.  He  set  and  he  watch 
fer  trouble.  He  can't  leave  dat  rise  'midst  er 
de  sedge  fiel'  'caze  all  de  beas'es  watchin'  him. 

Brer  Possum  gone  to  de  Souf.  Brer  Elephant 
gone  to  de  Eas'.  Goat  gone  to  de  Wes'.  Deer 
gone  to  de  Norf.  Buzzard  hangin'  over. 

D'rectly  Brer  Rabbit  set  dar  so  long  he  drap 
noddin'. 

73 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

Time  he  go  to  sleep  Brer  Buzzard  he  give  de 
word. 

Ev'y  one  er  dem  critters  set  de  sedge  fiel' 
afire,  at  ev'y  four  cornders.  Fire  fly  all  over  dat 
fiel'  at  onct.  Brer  Rabbit  in  a  fiel'  er  fire.  He 
wake  up.  Fire  ev'y  whar.  Fire  in  de  Eas'. 
Fire  in  de  Wes'.  Fire  all  round  in  a  wilderness. 

Brer  Rabbit  he  jump  up  and  down  on  dat  rise. 
He  don't  see  no  way  out.  He  holler : 

m  "Trouble !    Trouble  ! 

I  see  trouble ! 
Trouble !    Trouble ! 
I  see  trouble !" 

Fire  gittin'  nigher.  Look  like  all  de  world 
afire.  Brer  Rabbit  see  he  gotter  run  thoo  fire 
or  git  roasted  dar.  So  thoo  de  blaze  he  go.  Jump, 
kick,  fight  fire,  run,  jump !  Ev'y  step  he  holler : 

"Trouble!    Trouble! 
I  see  trouble !" 

He  jump  so  high  he  keep  his  back  from  ketchin' 
fire,  but  his  breas'  and  his  under  parts  and  his 
legs  was  burnt  nigh  a  crispy  done. 

He  run  home,  jump  in  his  ole  'oman's  rain- 
barrel.  His  ole  'oman  hatter  keep  him  some- 

74 


LOOKING    FOR    TROUBLE 


time  wrap  up  in  'lasses  and  flour.  When  he 
come  out,  he  was  a  different  lookin'  man.  He 
done  seed  trouble.  De  ha'r  done  come  out  white 
all  de  way  up  half  of  him  whar  he  been  burnt. 
He  des  'bout  half  grey  and  half  white. 

Chillen,  don't  hunt  trouble  and  trouble  won't 
hunt  you. 


XV 

HOW  THE  HUMMING  BIRD  LOST  HER  VOICE 

ACROSS  the  fields  between  us  and  the  belt 
of  dark  pines,  the  evening  shadows  were 
falling.      A    wind    from    the    bay    was 
sweeping  up  to  us  and  the  pines  tossed  wildly 
like  the  plumes  of  an  Indian  warrior,   decked 
for  the  wild  warfare  of  old,  when  Mammy,  hold 
ing  us  close  in  her  warm  embrace,  my  little  sister 
and  me,  told  us  the  story  of  a  lost  song. 

Dar  is  mo'n  one  way  to  los'  yer  voice,  and  yo' 
wit,  also,  ef  you  gwine  los'  it. 

Some  folks  tell  me  dat  de  Hummin'  Bird  los' 
her  voice  'long  of  greediness;  dat  her  singin' 
git  des  bodaciously  choked  out  of  her  wid  eatin' 
too  much  honey.  But  de  old  folks  useter  tell 
me  dat  she  los'  dat  song  'long  er  pokin'  her  long 
mouf  into  ev'ythin'. 

You  see  she  do  dat  twel  yit ;  her  and  her  folks, 
all  of  'em,  do  dat,  poke  dey  long  bill  ev'ywhar. 

Dar  now !    Chillen,  don't  ev'ybody  hate  to  see 


HUMMING   BIRD    LOST   HER   VOICE 

a  long  bill  comin'  ?  He — he !  Dat's  de  way  wid 
de  Hummin'  Bird  f ambly  and  folks — a  long  bill ! 
Al'a's  pokin'  out  a  long  bill! 

But  hit's  de  natchal  truf  dat  she  los'  her  song 
des  teetotally  long  er  pryin'  too  much  on  de  sum 
mer  wind. 

Summer  wind  so  sweet,  so  sweet  dat  Hummin' 
Bird  study  'bout  hit  must  come  fum  a  gyarden 
whar  de  flowers  is  sweeter  dan  de  flowers  in  dis 
heah  gyarden.  She  study  s'  much  'bout  how 
sweet  dose  flowers  which  she  ain't  seed  must  be 
ef  dese  she  is  seed  is  so  sweet  dat  she  make  up 
her  mind  dat  she'll  foller  de  wind  whene'r  hit 
blows,  and  \vhare'r  hit  goes. 

So,  on  a  summer  day  she  start  out.  Sweet 
LiT  Breeze  come  by.  Hummin'  Bird  she  start 
atter  hit.  Breeze  hit  dart  dis  way,  dat  way! 

Hummin'  Bird,  she  dash  dis  way  and  she  flash 
dat  way,  follerin'  LiT  Breeze. 

De  LiT  Breeze  don't  like  be  follered  dat  way. 
De  Hummin'  Bird  onlies'  bird  light  'nough  on 
de  wing  to  foller  de  breezes  so  clost.  De  LiT 
Breeze  she  study  'bout  she  gwine  home  'caze 
she  don't  like  to  be  pry  and  spy  on  dat  way. 

Whar  her  home? 

Oh,  la,  chillen,  dat  ain't  my  business.      I  'spec' 

77 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

'tain't  yourn  neither.  Ef  I  was  to  go  follerin' 
a  breeze  to  see  whar  hit  come  fum  I  might  los' 
my  voice  same  like  de  Hummin'  Bird. 

Um-hum !    Den  who  gwine  tell  you  tales  den  ? 

Hummin'  Bird  she  got  dar,  to  de  wind's  house, 
but  she  sorry  she  \vent.  Hit  was  rustle  and 
tustle  in  de  wind's  house ! 

One  wind  tossed  her  dis  way,  t'o'her  fling  her 
dat  way,  n'o'her  swing  her  yonder,  y'o'her  slung 
her  round-about!  She  was  whirl  and  twirl  twel 
her  head  got  dizzy,  dough  she  al'a's  was  light 
headed.  De  ole  folks  say  she  open  her  mouf  ter 
ax  dem  winds : 

"Please,  sah,  lemme  go! 
I  won't  come  heah  no  mo'. 
Oh,  do,  yon,  lemme  go !"  , 

And  des  as  soon  as  she  open  her  mouf  to  say 
dem  words  de  song  got  clean  blowed  outen  her 
mouf,  and  got  so  mixed  up  wid  de  winds  dat  she 
nuver  could  git  hit  back  no  mo'. 

Den  dey  say  dat  all  de  winds  went  one  way 
and  whirled  her  out  of  dere  house;  dey  whirl 
her  out  so  swif  dat  she  caught  some  er  de  winds' 
rustlin'  sound  on  her  wings  as  she  swep'  out. 
She  got  rustlin'  sound  on  her  wings  twel  yit. 

78 


HUMMING    BIRD    LOST   HER    VOICE 

And  de  LiT  Breeze  kept  some  of  de  Hummin' 
Bird's  song. 

What'd  she  see  in  de  wind's  house? 

Chillen,  she  wan't  nuver  able  to  tell,  'caze  her 
voice  was  clean  done  gone. 

Chillen,  'tain't  nuver  good  to  go  pryin'  and 
spyin'  into  y'o'her  folks'  business. 


XVI 

BRER  POSSUM  ROUTS  BRER  LION 

ONE  day  Brer  Possum  and  Brer  Tarrapm 
was  walkin'  'long  toge'her  behime  dem 
dark  pines.     Dar  never  was  two  easier 
goin'  two  dan  dem  two,  ef  nothin'  don't  'sturb 
dey  minds;  but  des  let  some'in'  happen — den — 
dem  two  tries  not  to  be  dar !    'Caze  Brer  Possum 
he  is  guve  up  to  be  de  skeeriest  man  in  de  big 
woods  and  ef  dar  is  any  fight  in  Brer  Tarrapin 
hit's  mighty  deep  in  'caze  nobody  ain't  yit  fotch 
much  fight  outer  him. 

Dem  two  was  confabulatin'  'long  mighty  so 
ciable  like  when  dar  sudden  riz  right  nigh  'em 
a  rockin'  roar,  fit  to  make  de  earth  shake.  Hit 
set  Brer  Possum  quakin'.  "Yah-ah-ah — "  says 
Brer  Possum,  his  teefes  chatterin'  in  his  head, 
"Brer  Lion  is  on  us!  I  des  as  good  as  kilt  and 
eat  and  bones  licked  now " 

"Yoh-oh-oh!  I  feels  mise'f  in  de  soup  pot 
now,"  says  Brer  Tarrapin.  "Save  us,  Brer  Pos 
sum,  save  us!" 

80 


BRER   POSSUM    ROUTS   BRER    LION 

"Save  us?  How  I  gwine  save  us?"  says  Brer 
Possum.  "Save  my  life  I  can't  save  us." 

Brer  Lion's  roar  hit  sounded  nigher.  Brer 
Possum  he  skeereder'n'  skeereder.  Bein'  de 
most  skeered  he  could  be,  he  retch  out  and  grab 
holt  er  Brer  Tarrapin's  tail  s'  as  to  have  a  holt 
er  some'in'  in  what  he  do  fear  gwine  be  de  last 
hour.  No  sooner  he  ketch  holt  of  Brer  Tarra- 
pin's  tail  dan  thoo  de  bushes  bust  Brer  Lion  and 
dar  he  stand  r'ared  up  right  befo'  dem  two. 

"Who  dis  HT  fat  man  I  see  befo'  me?"  says 
Brer  Lion,  says  he. 

"Who,  me?"  says  Brer  Possum,  says  he. 
"Naw,  sah,  I  ain't  no  HT  fat  man,  sah." 

Brer  Lion  he  retch  out  a  paw  and  he  thump 
Brer  Possum  as  folks  do  thump  watermelons  to 
see  ef  dey  do  be  ripe. 

"Fat!    So  fat!"  says  Brer  Lion. 

"Fat?  Naw,  sah,  not  dat,"  says  Brer  Possum, 
says  he,  "I  des  swole  some  'long  er  eatin'  green 
simmons,  sah." 

"Fat  HT  man !    Fat  HT  man !"  says  Brer  Lion. 

"Who,  me?"  says  Brer  Possum,  skeered  to 
clean  desperation.  "Naw,  sah,  not  me,  sah.  I 
ain't  liT,  sah.  I'm  large.  I'm  a  high-j'inted 
man.  I'm  a  giant." 

7  81 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

"Who,  you?  You  large?  You  a  giant?  Prove 
it,  you  HT  man,  prove  it,"  and  Brer  Lion  he  roar 
fit  to  shake  de  sun  in  hit's  socket. 

Brer  Possum  he  know  hit's  now  er  never  and 
he  lift  up  Brer  Tarrapin  by  de  tail,  he  do,  and  he 
say,  says  he,  "I'm  a  giant.  I'm  a  giant,  and  I'll 
prove  hit.  Dis  heah's  a  flea  I  des  done  cotch 
offer  my  year!"  Brer  Lion  he  take  one  'stonish 
look  at  de  size  er  dat  flea — said  to  be — and  den 
Brer  Lion  he  turn  clean  on  his  track  and  run 
kitin'.  Run  like  de  woods  was  afire !  Not  even 
Brer  Lion  hisse'f  wanter  git  into  no  'sputement 
wid  a  man  what  totes  fleas  er  dat  dimension. 

Chillen,  'tain't  no  tellin'  what  buncombe'll  hit 
de  boaster  hardest. 


XVII 

HOW  THE   NEWS  OF  THE  WILD  WOOD  GOT 
ABROAD 

WHEN  de  Preacher  Crows,  all  a-wearin' 
of  dey  Sunday  blacks,  lef  Miss  Susan's 
house,  dey  went  straight  as  dey  could 
fly — and  you  know  de  crow  flies  mighty  straight 
— to  de  corn  fields  and  dar  dey  went  to  pickin' 
up  de  fraish  green  corn,  peckin'  hit  up  des  as 
soon  as  it  sprout. 

Well,  dat  sho  did  pester  Johnny  Mingo.  He 
Miss  Susan's  one  old  nigger  man,  fooled  heah 
fum  Africa  for  to  work.  He  got  dat  corn  to 
work,  and  when  hit  don't  yiel'  good  folk  think 
he  shirk.  Ev'y  spring  ef  he  plant  fer  a  bushel, 
he  git  a  peck,  ef  he  plant  fer  a  peck  he  git  a 
pocketful. 

Dem  crows  so  cunning.  But  Johnny  Mingo, 
he  got  cunning  ways  hisse'f.  He  done  hisse'f 
come  out  de  fur  woods  and  deep  de  woods  and  he 
done  brung  a  many  a  cunnin'  way  out  wid  him. 
He  so  pestered  wid  dem  crows  dat  he  go  on  de 

83 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

sly  to  de  bean-locust  tree,  and  he  cut  him  off  a 
long  sharp  thorn,  sharp  as  a  needle  sho's  you 
born.  He  wait  twel  de  deep  night,  and  den  he 
go  to  de  ve'y  middle  er  de  fiel'  and  he  pick  out 
de  highes',  riches',  greenes'  blade  er  corn  what 
done  sprout.  He  stick  dat  thorn  wid  de  p'int  up 
right  whar  de  grain  er  sproutin'  corn  do  be. 

Bar! 

He  go  back  'crost  de  fiel'  rakin'  dirt  over  his 
tracks  wid  his  fingers,  so  as  he  can  fool  dem 
crows  so  dat  dey  won't  think  nobody  done  been 
'long  dar.  Johnny  Mingo  he  'low: 

"Oho! 

Johnny  Mingo 
Fool  'em  ole  crow  !" 

Nex'  mornin'  fust  day  Johnny  Mingo  stand 
spyin'  out  de  bushes  on  de  wood  edge  watchin' 
out  fer  dem  roguish  Preacher  Crows. 

"Here  dey  come,  ev'y  Preacher  Crow, 
Fust  de  leader — Oh,  ve'y  ole  Preacher  Crow ; 
Right  to  dat  highes'  blade  he  go, 
Peck  at  hit — des  so." 

Dar! 

Dat  locust  thorn  hit  split  dat  crow's  tongue, 
split  hit  clean  in  two  as  a  knife  blade  could  ha' 
done. 

You  know  twel  yit,  ef  a  crow's  tongue  is  split 


Here  dey  come,  ev'y  Preacher  Crow.' 


NEWS   OF   THE   WILD  WOOD 

he  can  talk  fine  and  fit.  To  dis  day  ef  you  split  a 
crow's  tongue  he  will  talk  des  as  natchal  as  folks 
— ef  de  cuttin'  don't  kill  him/' 

Dat  old  leader  Crow  he  could  talk  den,  you 
know.  But  he  ain't  got  nobody  in  his  crowd  dat 
he  kin  talk  to.  He  done  los'  de  crow  talk  offen 
his  tongue  as  soon  as  dat  thorn  split  his  tongue. 
He  git  mighty  lonesome,  he  do,  dat  ole  leader 
Crow.  He  git  mighty  hungry,  too,  fer  he  feared 
to  peck  corn  any  mo'  in  de  new  sproutin'  fiel'. 

Johnny  Mingo  he  watch  dat  ole  leader  Crow. 
He  see  he  ole  and  he  black  and  he  lonesome,  and 
he  gittin'  raggity  and  mo'  raggity  ev'y  day.  He 
see  dat  Crow  done  git  missed  of  his  own  fambly 
talk,  can't  talk  no  mo'  wid  his  own  folks,  b'leeged 
ef  he  talk  at  all  to  talk  stranger  talk,  and  Johnny 
Mingo,  he  sorry  fer  dat  ole  leader  Crow,  him  a 
leader  no  mo'. 

Johnny  Mingo  study  'bout  him  hisse'f  ole,  and 
black  and  lonesome,  and  gittin'  raggity  and 
raggitier  ev'y  day,  he  done  also  got  missed  er  his 
own  talk,  same  as  old  Preacher  Crow,  b'leeged 
to  talk  stranger  talk  ef  he  do  talk  at  all,  and  he 
so  des  collude  to  tole  that  ole  leader  Crow  right 
up  to  his  do',  so  dat  him  'n'  dat  old  Crow  can 
talk  toge'her  nights. 

87 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

So  ev'y  day  or  so  Johnny  Mingo  he  spread  a 
handful  er  corn  front  er  his  do'-step.  And  ev'y 
day  or  so  de  ole  leader  Crow  come  to  Johnny 
Mingo's  do'.  He  peck  up  dat  corn,  den  dem  two 
talk  toge'her  nights. 

Dat  ole  Crow  he  tell  Johnny  Mingo  all  de 
news  of  de  wile  woods,  he  tell  him  of  all  de 
migras  'bout  de  birds  and  de  beas'es. 

Ev'y  sence  dem  days  folks  been  knowin'  and 
tellin'  dem  tales. 

Chillen,  stick  to  your  own  kin  and  kind. 


XVIII 

HOW  BRER  FLEA  OUTWITS  BRER  RABBIT 

BRER  RABBIT  never  is  been  got  ahead 
of  but  onct.  Ef  he  is  I  ain't  hearn  of 
it.  And  dat  time  he  was  got  ahead  of 
by  a  man  smaller  dan  him,  and  weaker  dan  him. 
No  lesser  man  dan  Brer  Flea  hisse'f. 

Brer  Rabbit  and  Brer  Flea  was  bof  un  'em 
visitin'  de  same  gal. 

Hit  come  'bout  ev'y  time  er  so,  no  matter 
how  soon  Brer  Rabbit  git  dar  Brer  Flea  he  done 
been  dar  some  time.  'Time  Brer  Rabbit  come 
lopin'  in,  him  standin'  at  de  door  stompin'  de 
dust  offen  his  feet,  breshin'  de  dust  ofTen  his 
shoulders,  he  look  roun\  Dar,  he  see  Brer  Flea 
his  hands  tangled  in  de  skein  er  yarn  dat  gal 
was  windin'  offer. 

Come  'long  one  day  Brer  Rabbit  and  Brer 
Flea  was  bof  settin'  on  a  log  talkin'  together 
'way  'crost  settlements  from  whar  dat  gal's 
house  was,  and  Brer  Rabbit  thinks  to  hisse'f  dis 
is  de  time  he  gwine  git  ahead  er  Brer  Flea. 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

Brer  Flea  he  can't  walk  a  step,  he  can't  run  a 
step,  'bleeged  to  go  in  des  a  hop,  skip  and  jump, 
and  Brer  Rabbit  he  do  know  dat  he  hisse'f  can 
run.  He  study  right  now  de  time  he  gwine 
match  his  strength  wid  Brer  Flea.  He  'low: 
"Brer  Flea,"  sez  he,  "I'm  a  gwine  right  now," 
sez  he,  "  'crost  settlements  to  see  dat  gal." 

Brer  Flea  he  don't  wait  fer  no  more,  he  don't. 
He  up  and  sez,  sez  he,  "Brer  Rabbit,  I  go  'long 
wid  you." 

Brer  Rabbit  he  say : 

"Oh,  man,  no, 
You  go  too  slow." 

"Nummine,"  sez  Brer  Flea,  "des  gimme  even 
chances  wid  you  and  I  lay  I'll  beat  you  dar. 
Time  you  git  dar,"  sez  he,  "you'll  see  me  settin' 
wid  my  hands  tangled  up  in  de  yarn  dat  dat 
gal  is  windin'  off." 

Brer  Rabbit  he  say: 

"Oh,  no,  man,  no — 
Man,  you  too  slow." 

Any  how  Brer  Rabbit  tuck  up  de  dare  of  de  race, 
and  dem  two  got  ready  to  start  out.     Dey  was 
des  ten  telegram  postes  off  fum  dat  gal's  house. 
Brer  Rabbit,  he  say : 

90 


BRER   FLEA  OUTWITS   BRER   RABBIT 

"One!     Two!     Three! 
Start — you'n'  me!'* 

Off  Brer  Rabbit  start  wid  er  jump,  run,  cut  de 
pigeon-wing,  run  ag'in. 

Des  'fo'  Brer  Rabbit  start  Brer  Flea  done  hop 
on  Brer  Rabbit's  tail.  He  so  HT  and  light  Brer 
Rabbit  don't  feel  de  weight  of  him. 

Brer  Rabbit  he  run  'long  keerless,  so  small  a 
man  ag'in  him.  When  he  git  to  de  fust  telegram 
pole,  he  stop  short  on  his  haunches.  He  grin 
fer  to  think  how  fur  behime  is  Brer  Flea.  He 
holler:  "Oh— a,  Brer  Flea!" 

Brer  Flea  ansah  from  off  de  telegram  pole: 
"Brer  Rabbit,  heah — a — me!" 

Brer  Rabbit  look.  Sho  'nough  dar  set  Brer 
Flea  shinin'  black  on  de  telegram  pole.  He  des 
done  hop  on  hit  off  Brer  Rabbit's  tail.  Brer 
Rabbit,  he  was  a  'stonish  man.  He  sez,  say  he : 

"Well,  well, 
Dat  beat  me ! 
How  you  git  heah, 
Brer  Flea?" 

Brer  Flea  he  des  give  him  de  ansah: 

"Brer  Rabbit,  I  tole  you  so, 
Brer  Rabbit,  you  'low :   'Oh,  no  !'  " 

91 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

Brer  Rabbit,  he  good  'stonish,  he  'low : 

"Yit  and  still,  Brer  Flea, 
You   shall  not  beat   me! 
I'll  rim-a  my  bes', 
I'll  run-a  my  res', 
Ef  I  run  my  head  in  a  hornet's  nest !" 

Brer  Rabbit  he  lit  out  ag'in.  Dis  time  he  run 
mo'  steady.  Des  as  he  start  ag'in  Brer  Flea 
done  lip  on  his  tail  ag'in,  and  dar  he  set  holdin' 
on  wid  bof  his  hands  as  Brer  Rabbit  run. 

Nex'  telegram  pole  Brer  Flea  done  ag'in  give 
a  for'ard  jump  offen  Brer  Rabbit's  tail  and  dar 
he  set  on  de  telegram  pole  agin. 

Brer  Rabbit,  he  call,  'spectin  no  ansah :  "Oh 
—a— Brer  Flea!" 

Brer  Flea  say,  says  he:  "Brer  Rabbit,  heah 
— a — me!" 

Brer  Rabbit  he  mo'  'stonished  dan  befo',  he 
say,  says  he: 

"Gracious  goodness — a  me  ! 
And  you  don't  look  scarce 
Blowed,  Brer  Flea!" 

Brer  Flea  gin  him  de  ansah  back : 

"No,   man,  you   see, 
Dis  runnin'  naught  to  me !" 

92 


BRER   FLEA  OUTWITS   BRER   RABBIT 

Dat  was  de  way  hit  was  an  ev'y  one  er  dem 
telegram  poles  'fo'  dey  gits  to  de  gal's  house, 
Brer  Rabbit  he  'low  at  de  las'  pole  from  de  gal's 
house : 

"Brer  Flea,  dis  de  las'  chase, 
Dis   de  end  of  de   race. 
I  lay  you  don't  beat  dis  one — 
'Caze  I  know  I  can  run." 

Brer  Flea  he  des  as  rested  as  a  man  out  a 
job,  he  'low: 

"Mind  out,  Brer  Rabbit,  you  smart, 
And  you  got  a  fair  start 
But  I  lay  dat  I  shall 
Be  de  fust  reach  de  gal 
Time  at  de  do'  you  do  stand, 
I  be  wid  de  yarn  in  her  hand." 

Brer  Rabbit,  he  start  out  ag'in.  Time  Brer 
Rabbit  fetch  his  strengt'  fer  de  fust  jump,  Brer 
Flea  done  lip  on  his  tail.  He  hoi's  on  wid  bof 
hands  and  take  it  easy. 

Brer  Rabbit  he  fair  to'up  de  earth  a-runnin' 
and  er  jumpin'.  He  pantin'  and  puffin'  and  his 
tongue  lappin'  out.  He  jump  in  de  do'  er  dat 
gal's  house,  'gin  to  wink  de  dus'  outen  his  eyes 
so's  he  can  see. 

93 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

Time  he  hit  de  do'-step  Brer  Flea  he  hop  off 
Brer  Rabbit's  tail  and  jump  to  de  hank  er  yarn* 
in  de  gal's  hands  what  she  windin'   fum.     He 
say,  says  Brer  Flea: 

"Brer  Rabbit— he— he— he ! 
You  look  tired  to  me!" 

Den  Brer  Rabbit  he  gin  up  de  chase  and  'low 
he  fair  los'  dat  race. 

Chillen,  don't  never  trus'  des  to  main  strengt', 
if  cunnin'  be  ag'in  you. 


XIX 

HOW  BRER  COON  LOST  HIS   SHOES 

DAR  wa'n't  in  de  ole  days  no  mo'  fait'ful 
friends  dan  Brer  Possum  and  Brer  Coon. 
And  dar  wa'n't  dem  days  nothin'  er  de 
po'try  kind  safe  from  dem  two;  ef  Brer  Possum 
steal  on  de  east  er  de  hen  roost,  Brer  Coon  meet 
him  on  de  west  and  dey  two  des  Vide  de  ketch 
'cordin'  to  appetite  and  no  talk  er  even  er  odd. 

One  night  Brer  Possum  and  Brer  Coon  start 
des  as  friendly  from  behime  dem  dark  pines  to  de 
hen  house  in  de  settlement.  Dey  go  'long  side'n' 
side  twel  dey  come  to  de  creek.  Dat  Brer  Coon, 
he  say :  "So  long,  Brer  Possum,  I  see  you  later." 
Wid  dat  he  dash  in  de  water  and  swim  'crost 
'caze  Brer  Coon  he  know  dat  Brer  Possum  he 
feared  er  water  and  he  gotter  go  way  'round  by 
de  foot  logs. 

Round  by  de  foot  logs  Brer  Possum  he  go,  and 
when  he  git  to  de  aidge  er  de  woods  Brer  Coon 
he  a'ready  dar  waitin'  fer  de  moon  to  go  down 
so  dat  dey  can  safe  get  a  supper  sech  as  dey  ap- 

95 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

petites  do  crave.  Brer  Coon  he  done  rake  up 
bark  and  dry  leaves  and  done  made  a  KT  slow 
fire  fer  to  dry  his  shoes.  Brer  Coon  he's  a  man 
don't  fear  fire,  don't  fear  water,  fer  a  gre't 
fisherman  is  Brer  Coon  twel  yit. 

Brer  Possum  he's  a  man  feared  er  fire,  feared 
er  water,  'bleeged  to  feed  high  and  dry.  De  smell 
er  de  smoke  er  Brer  Coon's  fire  make  Brer  Pos 
sum  right  rale  sick  right  now.  Brer  Coon  and 
his  folks  ain't  been  neither  bake  nor  brile,  so  dey 
don't  know  de  feel  er  fire  and  dey  don't  feel  de 
fear  er  fire. 

Brer  Coon  he  set  and  turn  his  shoes  dis  way 
and  dat  way  front  de  fire  fer  to  dry  'em.  Brer 
Possum's  shoes  dry  'caze  he  done  been  feared  to 
git  his  foots  wet.  He  set  and  sweat  and  most 
wish  dat  he  had  had  grit  to  git  his  foots  wet. 
De  smell  er  de  smoke  er  Brer  Coon's  fire  hit  make 
Brer  Possum  madder'n'  madder  and  hit  fetch  up 
a  ole  time  dissatisfaction  in  Brer  Possum's  mind, 
so  he  say,  says  he:  "Brer  Coon,  I  ax  you  dis 
what  I  been  layin'  off  to  ax  you  fer  de  longes'. 
How  come  when  us  bof  robs  de  hen  roost  dat  you 
git  free  to  de  big  woods  ev'y  time  and  me'n'  my 
folks  git  cotch  a  many  times  and  mo'?" 

Brer  Coon  he  see  how  Brer  Possum  he  set  and 


HOW  BRER   COON   LOST  HIS  SHOES 

sweat  and  git  sick  wid  de  smell  er  smoke,  and 
he  'cide  as  dey  do  be  friends  dat  he'll  des  up  and 
tell  him  de  truf  and  see  if  dat'll  sorter  'suage  his 
rage.  So  he  set  and  turn  his  shoes  befo'  de  fire 
and  he  say,  says  he,  "Brer  Possum,  I  gwine  tell 
you  dat  what  ain't  yit  been  tole  out  de  fambly  er 
we  all.  Dese  heah  shoes  dat  you  see  me  dryin' 
s'  keerful,  dey  is  fo'-mile-shoes.  Yassah,  dat 
what  dey  is;  and  mo'n  dat,  dey  don't  left  no  track 
like  youse  shoes." 

Dar!  Brer  Possum  he  mo'  rile  dan  befo'  fer 
to  think  dat  Brer  Coon  safe  fit  out  in  shoes  dat'll 
keep  him  al'a's  in  de  front  er  de  race,  so  he  don't 
say  nothin',  des  set  and  sweat  and  study  how  he 
could  fix  fer  to  even  up  de  race  wid  Brer  Coon. 
D'rectly  he  say :  "Brer  Coon,  bein'  you  been  heah 
long  'nough  to  git  rested  and  I  ain't,  s'pose  you 
go  to  de  aidge  er  de  settlement  and  see  ef  Watch 
man  Goose  is  yit  drap  noddin'." 

Brer  Coon,  he  say,  "So  said  so  done,  and  I 
thank  you,  Brer  Possum,  whilst  I  be  gone  to  des 
turn  my  shoes  liT  back  and  fort'  'fo'  de  fire." 
Den  Brer  Coon  he  was  off  round  de  cornder  fer 
to  see  ef  Goose  was  yit  wake  and  watchin'. 

Time  Brer  Coon  git  good  round  dat  cornder 
Brer  Possum  he  up  and  th'ow  Brer  Coon's  shoes 
s  97 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

in  dat  fire,  and  den  he  out  and  gone  fer  de  fur 
woods. 

When  Brer  Coon  come  lopin'  back  shoes  gone, 
friend  gone.  Brer  Coon  he  been  a  bare-foot  man 
ever  sence.  And  mo'n  dat  he  leave  a  track  now 
same  as  all  dat  tread,  and  now  Brer  Coon  he 
hate  Brer  Possum  wo's'n  Brer  Possum  hate 
smoke.  Brer  Possum  he  don't  love  to  fight,  but 
he  'bleeged  to  fight  or  lose  he  life  ev'y  time  he 
meet  up  wid  Brer  Coon  in  de  big  woods. 

Chillen,  foul  play  don't  hold  fast  friends. 


XX 

WHERE  MISTER  SNAKE'S  CUNNING  FAILED  HIM 

MISTER  SNAKE  he  was  gittin'  hongry 
for    frog  meat.    Hit  des   look  like   a 
frog  leg  or  two  would  des  set  de  bes' 
on  his  stomach.     He  was  quoiled  up  on  de  bank 
studyin'  'bout  how  hongry  he  was  when  he  hear 
a  HT  frog  say  'it  was  'bout  time  and  hour  to 
study  'bout  what  to  have  for  supper.    Um-hum ! 
Somebody  else  hongry  'sides  him. 

De  HT  lady  frog  she  sing  out  dat  dar  ain't 
nothin'  nicer  fer  supper  dan: 

"Fried  bacon  !     Fried  bacon  ! 
Fried  bacon  !     Fried  bacon  !" 

De  ole  man  frog  he  gi'e  back  de  ansah  as 
nothin'  'd  suit  him  better.  He  say  dat's  a  meal 
fit  fer  de  : 

"President !    President ! 
President !" 

De  frogs  set  round  de  pond  and  talk  'bout  dey 
wishter  have : 

"Fried  bacon  !    Fried  bacon !" 

99 


BEHIND   THE    DARK    PINES 

And  as  dat  'd  be  good  'nough  f er  de : 
"President!    President!" 

Twel  Mister  Snake  couldn't  s'port  his  honger 
no  longer.  He  couldn't  stand  it  no  longer.  He 
come  slippin'  and  slidin'  up  nigh  de  pond.  He 
know  dem  frogs  gwine  'scape  him  ef  he  let  'em 
git  skeered  of  him,  so  he  come  up  closter  and 
closter  to  'em,  hissin'  as  he  come : 

"Slippin'  and  slidin'  on  a  slimy  log, 
I  ain't  gwine  eat  nairy  'nother  frog!" 

De  liT  lady  frog  she  lif  up  her  voice  and  give 
Mister  Snake  de  ansah : 

"Ting!     Ting! 
Glad  er  dat!     Glad   er  dat! 
Glad  er   dat!     Glad   er   dat!" 

Dey  have  er  regular  chorus-song  round  de 
pond  in  de  swamp,  behime  dem  dark  pines. 
Mister  Snake,  hissin' : 

"Slip  and  slide  on  de  slimy  log 
Never  is  to  eat  a  frog !" 

And  de  liT  frogs  jine  in  toge'her  to  sing  at 
him: 

TOO 


"  'I  ain't  gwine  to  eat  nairy  'nother  frog !' " 


MISTER    SNAKE'S    CUNNING 

"Ting!     Ting! 
Glad  er  dat!     Glad  er  dat! 
Glad  er  dat!     Glad  er  dat!" 

Mister  Snake  he  done  slip  up  on  'em  mos' 
nigh  'nough  to  catch  and  snatch  one,  whilst  dey 
singin'  so  gaily  'bout  dey  glad  he  ain't  gwine  to 
eat  no  mo'  frogs. 

Now  he  nigh  'nough.  He  fling  hisse'f  out  to 
git  de  f attes'  frog  on  de  log,  but — Ker — splash ! 
Splash !  Dash ! 

In  de  pond  go  de  frogs!  Mister  Snake  don't 
git  nairy  one ! 

Ole  Mister  Frog  he  hid  behime  de  log,  he  hol 
ler  to  Mister  Snake: 

"Yer  didn't  do  it! 
Yer  didn't  do  it ! 
Yer  didn't  do  it ! 
Yer  didn't  do  it!" 

Mister  Snake  didn't  have  no  frog  legs  fer  his 
supper  dat  night.  And  atter  dat  de  frogs  was 
mo'  skeered  er  Mister  Snake  dan  ever. 

Chillen,  'ceivin'  don't  all  time  fetch  success. 


XXI 

WHY   GRAN'DADDY   LONG-LEGS    KNOWS    ABOUT 
THE    COWS 


HE  was  ol'er  even  dan  Johnny  Mingo.  He 
wan't  right  real  black.  He  was  kinder 
Injun  color.  He  wan't  Ebo  nor  Molly- 
gloster  neither.  He  was  des  a  ole,  ole  wizzle-up 
mustee-colored  man.  He  all  time  keep  a  quar'lin' 
to  hisse'f.  Ef  't  wan't  dis  to  quar'l  'bout  'twas 
dat.  But  de  mo'es'  of  de  quar'lin'  he  done  was 
'bout  he  all  de  time  hatter  go  at'  de  cows. 

He  quar'l  all  time  desso:  Don't  see  howcome 
he  de  onlies'  man  what  can  make  out  to  fin'  de 
cows;  don't  see  howcome  nobody  but  him  can 
find  dem  cows;  don't  know  howcome  nobody 
'cept  'tis  him  on  de  whole  plantation  hatter  go 
at'  dem  cows. 

He  gwine  on  one  late  dusk-dark  in  de  deep 
swamp  quar'lin'  to  hisse'f  des  dat  way.  He 
quar'lin  desso :  Don't  know  how~  'tis  nobody  on 
de  place  know  how  to  find  de  cows  but  him.  Dey 
all  got  heads  to  study  whar  dey  be  same's  him. 

104 


GRAN'DADDY    LONG-LEGS 


Dey  all  got  legs  to  walk  at'  dem  cows  same's 
him.  He  ought  to  have  mo'  legs  dan  des  de  two 
he  is  got,  ef  he  all  time  gotter  go  at'  dem  cows. 
He  wisht  he  did  have  a  many-a-mo'  legs  dan  de 
two  he  is  got. 

Dar.  Look  like  soon  as  he  speak  dem  words  he 
g'in  to  feel  a  cu'us  feelin'.  He  callin'  dem 
cows : 

"Sook!     Sook!     Blossom!    Bee! 
Sally !     Spot !     Sook-ey-ey  ! 
Sook — oh — cow  ! 
Sook — oh — oh — cow  !" 

Dat  de  las'  time  old  gran'daddy  call  dem  cows. 
He  done  complain  and  quar'l  de  las'  word  too 
much.  To'  he  knowd  what  de  matter,  he  drap 
on  de  ground.  Soon  as  his  fingers  tetch  de 
ground  dey  split  up  ev'y  one  clean  to  his  shoul 
ders;  his  toes  dey  split  up  ev'y  one  to  his  hip- 
j'ints.  Dey  all  fingers  and  toes  gotter  be  long 
legs,  dey  did,  des  like  he  quar'l  fer. 

He  got  dem  many  and  mo'  legs  yet,  he  is.  A 
big  round  head  and  a  passel  of  legs.  Dat  all  he 
was  den.  Dat  all  he  is  now.  But  twel  yit  he 
ain't  fergit  what  he  know — and  dat  is  whar  de 
cows  be.  Twel  yit  ev'y  time  you  ax  one  of  dem 

105 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

gran'daddy  long-legs,  "Whicher- way-de-cows?" 
— dey'll  do  des  like  de  fust  one  done — find  'em. 
Ax  one  of  dem  funny  bugs : 

"Gran'daddy  !    Gran'daddy  !    Whicher — way — de — cows  ? 
Gran'daddy !    Gran'daddy  !    Whicher — way — de — cows  ?" 

Yonder  way  he'll  p'int.  Whicherway  dem 
cows  is  dar'll  he  p'int. 

Chillen,  hit  ain't  good  to  quar'l  too  much. 
Dem  what  quar'l  'bout  nothin',  soon  gwine  have 
somethin'  to  quar'l  'bout. 


XXII 

HOW  BRER  RABBIT  RID  OUR  WOODS  OF 
THE  ELEPHANTS 

ONE  time  Brer  Elephant  ax  Brer  Rabbit 
will    he    crap    wid    him,    in    and    thoo. 
Brer   Rabbit  he  a  mighty  smart  man, 
and  he  lazy  like  smart  folks  is,  and  he  study  ef 
he  work  in  and  thoo  wid  Brer  Elephant,  den  he 
can  mostly  res'  and  not  wrastle,  'caze  Brer  Ele 
phant  sho  can  plow  a  fiej'  whilst  Brer  Rabbit  can 
pull  a  row.     So  Brer  Rabbit  he  up  and  sign  de 
rent-note  and  de  crap-lien  wid  Brer  Elephant. 

Brer  Elephant,  he  sho  do  work,  but  den  he  set 
dat  fiel'  to  suit  hisse'f.  He  set  hit  all  in  guinea- 
grass,  plantin'  fer  hay. 

Miss  Rabbit,  she  right  den  pestered  in  her  min' 
'bout  dat  crap.  She  say  dat  crap  too  dry  to  eat, 
and  too  raggity  to  wear,  and  what  can  you  do 
wid  hit? 

Brer  Rabbit  he  some  dubious,  also,  but  he 
won't  give  in.  He  'low:  "Hit'll  make  mighty 
nice,  fresh  beddin'  fer  winter." 

107 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

Lawsy-massy-me !  How  dat  crap  did  grow! 
Hit  sweep  like  a  green  river  done  riz  outer  hits 
banks  in  a  spring-time  freshet,  hit  sweep  over  de 
whole  fiel'.  Brer  Rabbit  'bleeged  to  give  in  to 
Brer  Elephant  as  he  never  did  see  sech  yiel'  to 
any  fiel'. 

Gadderin'  time  come,  Brer  Rabbit  he  set  wid 
his  foots  drawed  up  on  de  top  er  de  rail  fence 
lookin'  at  dat  crap.  He  say  to  his  pardner: 

"Brer  Elephant,  business  is  business,"   sez  he. 
"How  you  gwine  'vide  dis  crap  wid  me?" 

Dat's  all  dat  Brer  Rabbit  has  a    anxious    min' 
'bout,  dat  Vidin'  of  de  crap. 

Brer  Elephant  he  got  a  big  min'  like  a  big  man 
do  have,  and  he  make  ansah : 

"Brer  Rabbit,  you  HT,  least  and  so  small, 
I'll  give  you  fust  choice  of  all!" 

Dat  soun'  so  fair  dat  Brer  Rabbit  study  hit 
can't  be  square,  'caze  Brer  Rabbit  he  so  cunnin' 
hisse'f  dat  he  do  have  a  distrus'us  min'  'bout 
ev'ybody  be  cunnin'  like  he. 

Brer  Elephant  he  feel  so  good  'bout  dat  full 
crap  dat  he  blow  out  jobly : 

108 


BRER   RABBIT  AND  THE   ELEPHANTS 

"Hoo — too — too ! 
Hey,  HT  man, 
Mo'  short  dan  a  span, 
When  you  git  some, 
Who'll  tote  hit  home  ? 
Fer  you  are  so  small, 
You,  yo'  folks  and  all !" 

Dat  make  Brer  Rabbit  de  maddes';  fer  ef  he 
do  be  HT  he  wanter  feel  big,  so  he  make  ansah : 

"Ef  I  fit  in  a  thimble, 
Yit  I  quick  and  nimble ! 
Us'll  'vide  up  de  yiel' 
What  each'll  tote  out  de  fiel', 
Me,  my  folks,  and  all 
Us  swif '  dough  us  small !" 

Brer  Elephant  see  Brer  Rabbit  gwine  try  ter 
trick  him  runnin'  in  on  him  all  his  folks  and  his 
kinnery,  yit  he  lay  he'll  fix  him.  He  blow  out 

jobly : 

"Hoo — too — too ! 
Come,  all  er  you, 
Heap  it  so  high, 
When  it  git  dry, 
Keep  watch  on  de  sky. 
Hit  gwine  rain  by — m — bye !" 

Brer  Rabbit  he  'low  dat  dis  is  one  time  he 
ain't  gwine  git  fool  in  de  Vidin';  he  'low  ef  he 

109 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

put  in  all  his  fambly,  his  folks  and  his  fellers 
in  de  fiel'  dey  can  tote  off  de  bigges'  portion-part 
er  de  yiel'. 

Brer  Elephant  he  workin'  and  not  watchin', 
and  dem  HT  Rabbits  dey  is  des  scamperin'  and 
frolicin'  and  rollickin'  in  dem  piles  er  grass. 
Brer  Elephant  he  ain't  'sturbed  'bout  de 
numbering  he  lumberin'  round  and  workin'.  He 
make  de  trees  trimble  wid  his  blowin'. 

"Hoot— toot— toot— too ! 
Show  what  you  can  do!" 

Dat  rile  Brer  Rabbit  again.  Hit  mighty  bad 
fer  a  HT  man  ter  feel  big;  hit  sho  gwine  cos'  him 
some'in'  ef  he  do.  Brer  Rabbit  say: 

"Brer  Elephant  take  you  de  road 
Wid  de  ve'y  fust  load." 

Dat's  'caze  he  don't  want  Brer  Elephant  ter  see 
what  HT  loads  him'n'  his  folks  can  tote. 
Brer  Elephant  say: 

"Hoot— toot— too— too ! 
See  what  I  can  do!" 

Elephant  he  tickle  at  dat  HT  man,  feelin'  so 
no 


BRER  RABBIT  AND  THE  ELEPHANTS 

big,  and  he  show  it.     Brer  Rabbit  he  mad  'caze 
he  know  it.     Brer  Elephant  say : 

"Hey,  HT  man,"  sez  he, 

"Y*  all  come  and  load  me ; 
I  des  want  to  show  you 
What  one  full-growed  man  can  do." 

Brer  Rabbit,  his  fambly,  his  fellers  and  his 
folks,  dey  set  in  to  load  Brer  Elephant.  Brer 
Elephant,  he  help  hist  de  fust  loads  wid  his 
trunk.  Dem  Rabbits  dey  tote  and  dey  load,  dey 
load,  and  dey  tote.  Hit  'pears  like  Brer  Ele 
phant  gwine  tote  all  de  yiel'. 

Miss  Rabbit  she  'gin  to  quar'l  and  argue  like 
women  folks  does  do.  She  say  t'ain't  gwine  be 
lef  'nough  de  year's  crap  to  make  beddin'  fer  de 
trundle  bed,  let  'lone  de  whole  house. 

Brer  Rabbit  he  done  give  de  word,  "Let  ev'y 
man  have  what  he  can  tote,"  and  he  'bleeged  to 
stan'  to  his  word  and  ballot  vote,  but  Miss  Rab 
bit's  arguin'  sho  do  rile  him.  He  say : 

"Brer  Elephant,  yo'  load  is  sky  high, 
Lef  de  res'  fer  by— m— bye." 

Brer  Elephant  he  see  now  dat  he  'bout  ter 
trick  Brer  Rabbit  'stidder  Brer  Rabbit  trick  him; 

in 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

he  made  de  groun'  shake  wid  his  laughin'  and  his 
blowin' : 

"Hoot — toot — too — hoot — too — too ! 
Dis  a  light  load  fer  me — Who? 

Pile  on  mo'/'  sez  he, 
"I  don't  feel  dis  load— Who,  me?" 

LiT  Rabbits  dey  keep  totin'  and  loadin'  on. 
Dey  so  wo'  out  and  'stonish  at  de  'mount  Brer 
Elephant  can  take  dat  dey  eyes  'bout  ter  pop 
out  dey  heads.  Miss  Rabbit  she  see  de  fiel'  out 
rageous  clean  now,  as  bar'  as  Brer  Possum's  tail. 
She  say  she  wisht  Brer  Rabbit  would  talk  and 
'vise  wid  her  'fo'  he  pitch  his  crap  wid  a  tee-total 
stranger  from  way  'crost  'nother  plantation. 
She  done  lit  her  pipe  wid  a  chunk  dat  de  least 
Rabbit  done  brung  from  de  nighes'  neighbor 
cabin,  'caze  de  fiel'  too  clean  now  to  fear  fire. 
She  smokin'  and  grumblin'. 

Brer  Elephant,  under  all  dat    pile    er    grass 

holler: 

"Brer  Rabbit,  can't  you 
Pile  on  mo'? 
Hoot— toot— too!" 

Brer  Rabbit  give  de  ansah : 

"Hi!    You  under  dar? 
Ef  you  is,  tell  me  whar? 

112 


"  'Brer  Elephant,  yo'  load  is  sky  high/  " 


BRER   RABBIT  AND  THE   ELEPHANTS 

Yo'  load  now  so  high 

Dat  hit  nigh  touch  de  sky !" 

Brer  Rabbit  he  make  sign  to  Miss  Rabbit  dat 
she  bring  him  dat  chunk  er  fire.  He  say  to  Brer 
Elephant : 

"Hi,  Brer  Big  Man, 
Move  out  ef  you  can !" 

Brer  Elephant  he  laugh  and  he  holler. 

"Hoot — toot — too — too ! 
LiT  man,  I  tell  you, 
Put  on  de  las'  straw 
By  yo'  own  'vidin'  law ! 
Dis  heah  portion-part 
Ain't  a  half — ain't  a  start !" 

Brer  Rabbit  he  blow  on  dat  chunk  er  fire  twixt 
de  palm  er  his  hands.  He  tech  hit  to  dat  heap 
er  dry  grass;  hit  ketch  quick  and  fas'. 

Brer  Elephant,  he  holler: 

"LiT  man,  I  smell  fire! 
Don't  heap  hit  no  higher." 

Brer  Rabbit,  he  'low : 

"You  heaped  now  so  high, 
You  smell  de  heat  er  de  sky !" 

"5 


BEHIND   THE    DARK    PINES 

Brer  Elephant  'gin  to  feel  de  heat  er  dat 
burnin'  grass.  He  holler: 

"LiT  man,  I   feel  fire! 
Don't  heap  hit  no  higher !" 

Brer  Rabbit  give  him  de  ansah: 

"You  heaped  up  so  high, 
You  feel  heat  from  de  sky." 

Brer  Elephant  shake  hisse'f.  De  sparks  dey 
des  fly,  but  dat  fiel'  so  clean  dat  dar  ain't  even 
no  stubble  to  ketch.  Brer  Elephant  holler : 

"Don't  heap  me  no  higher, 
De  world  is  afire! 
Run,  people,  run, 
I  done  catch  by  de  sun !" 

Den  Brer  Elephant  he  lit  out,  he  did,  flingin' 
fire  as  he  go. 

Brer  Rabbit  he  set  back  in  dat  bar'  fiel'  and 
nigh  'bout  kill  hisse'f  laughin'. 

Brer  Elephant  he  git  swinged  ha'r  and  a  rusty 
hide  from  dat  fire.  He  got  'em  twel  yit,  and 
he  des  manage  to  save  his  trunk  out  er  dat  fire. 
He  lef  dis  country.  You  don't  find  him  or  his 
folks  in  dis  part  de  world  no  mo'. 

Chillen,  hit  don't  do  to  put  yo'  trus'  in  cunnin' 
folks,  no  matter  how  liT  and  least  dey  be. 

116 


XXIII 

WHY    BRER    POSSUM    AND    BRER    PIG    PARTED 
COMPANY 

RIGHT  now  anybody  what  taste  possum 
and  pig  will  say  dat  dem  two  is  like  er 
nigh  like,  kin  er  been  kin;  but  possum 
and  pig  ain't  claimin'  kin  no  mo'.  Hit  useter 
been  cousin  dis  and  cousin  dat,  now  hit  mo'  like 
cussin'  dis  and  discussm  dat. 

Hit  was  when  dem  two  was  friends  dat  Brer 
Pig  propose  to  Brer  Possum  dat  dey  two  raise  a 
crap  together,  in  and  thoo.  Brer  Possum  he  say 
he  don't  keer  ef  he  do.  Brer  Pig  he  say  long  as 
Brer  Possum  live  furderer  in  de  woods  dan  he 
do,  hatter  come  furder  back'n'  fort'  to  de  clearin', 
he'll  let  him  take  whiche'er  part  de  crap  he 
choose,  top  er  bottom.  Brer  Possum,  ruther 
trust  des  what  he  can  see,  say  he'll  take  de  top 
crap.  Brer  Pig  he  'cide  den  and  dar  to  plant 
goobers.  Dat  year  den  Brer  Possum  and  his  peo 
ple  git  po'erer  from  de  fall  to  de  spring  er  de 
year. 

Next  year,  time  to  pitch  crap  ag'in,  Brer  Pig 
117 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

say,  "Brer  Possum,  you  done  wrong  las'  year. 
You  done  ruint  yo'se'f  choosin'  wrong,  now  I 
gin  you  fust  choose  ag'in  and  dis  time  take  keer 
you  don't  lose." 

Brer  Possum  he  right  ready  choose,  "Bottom 
crap."  Den  Brer  Pig  he  set  de  fiel'  in  cabbages. 
Dat  year  Brer  Possum  and  his  folks  fall  off 
from  gadderin'  time  to  new  plowin'  season.  Dey 
mos'  can  hear  dey  bones  rattle  in  dey  skin.  Still 
and  yit  ev'y  plantin'  season  Brer  Pig  give  de 
choice  er  which  part  de  crop  he  take  to  Brer  Pos 
sum — and  den  choose  what  de  crap  gwine  be. 

At  last  Brer  Possum  he  say  come  choose,  come 
lose,  he  ain't  gwine  crap  no  mo'  wid  no  sech  a 
greedy  man  as  Brer  Pig.  All  dat  time  Brer  Pig 
he  been  movin'.up  closter  and  closter  to  Mister 
Man's  house  and  eatin'  HT  mo'n'  mo'  er  Mister 
Man's  chucked  out  vittles  and  gittin'  lazier  and 
gittin'  fatter,  so  he  say  as  he  don't  keer  nohow, 
and  he  say  mo'n  dat  he  gwine  to  quit  claimin' 
kin  wid  sech  a  wile  lookin',  weedy  lookin'  critter 
as  Brer  Possum  was  den. 

Wid  dat  dem  two  parted  comp'ny.  From  dat 
day  Brer  Possum  stopped  plantin'  and  took  to 
lookin'  high  fer  his  vittles.  He  live  and  he  thrive 
off  de  persimmon  and  de  muscadine.  From  dat 

118 


BRER  POSSUM  AND  BRER  PIG 

day  Brer  Pig  got  lazier  and  looked  lower  fer  his 
vittles;  and  right  now  you  find  him  livin'  off  swill 
and  slops,  gone  to  wallowin'  and  long  since  quit 
workin.' 

Chillen,   cheatin'   ways   may    fatten,   but   dey 
don't  lead  to  freedom. 


XXIV 

EVERY    CLOUD    HAS    ITS    SILVER    LINING 

JAY'S  a  onlucky  bird  and  a  pesterin'  one. 
He's  eatin'  young  birds  outer  y'o'her  birds' 
nests,  suckin'  y'o'her  birds'  eggs.  De 
birds  hates  him  like  folks  hates  er  suck-egg  dog. 
He  ruins  de  grapes,  he  spiles  de  pea-vines,  he's 
up  to  all  sorter  devilment. 

He  done  sole  hisse'f  to  de  devil  fer  less  dan 
nought  and  he  b'leeged  to  go  to  de  bad  place 
ev'y  Friday  'twixt  twelve  o'clock  and  t'ree 
o'clock  and  tote  down  a  splinter  er  kindlin'- 
wood  fer  to  keep  dat  fire  hot. 

Nobody  won't  eat  Jaybird.  Nobody  ain't 
never  heard  of  a  Jaybird  pie.  LiT  mo'n'  he  did 
like  to  git  cooked  up  onct,  but  he  des  did  'scape 
wid  his  life. 

He  been  doin'  his  devilment  round  Johnny 
Mingo  so  long  dat  Johnny  Mingo  was  clean  wo' 
out  wid  him.  Ev'y  day  Johnny  Mingo  go  'bout 
his  business  dar  was  Jay  right  front  him,  or  side 
him,  or  behime  him  callin' : 

"Caleb!    Caleb!    Caleb!" 
1 2O 


EVERY    CLOUD    HAS    SILVER   LINING 

Johnny  Mingo  'low : 

"I  ain't  name  Caleb !    No ; 
I  name  Johnny  Mingo." 

Jaybird  'low: 

"Caleb!    Caleb!    Caleb!" 

Johnny  Mingo  'low : 

"I'll  still  you ! 
I'll  kill  you 
And  I'll  try 
Jaybird  pie !" 

Sho  'nough  he  set  a  trap  fer  Jay  and  caught 
him.  Done  caught  him — now  kill  him.  Johnny 
Mingo  reach  in  de  trap,  pull  Jay  out  by  de  neck, 

he  say: 

"Now,  I  'spec', 
I   wring  yo'   neck!" 

He  wring  Mister  Jay  round  and  round  by  de 
neck,  fling  him  on  de  ground.  He  'low  his 
head'll  fly  one  way,  his  body-part'll  flutter  t'o'her 
way  like  a  chicken  go  when  folks  wrings  dey 
necks. 

Brer  Jay  hit  de  ground.     Ker-blip!     Den  up 
he  riz !     Off  he  fly !     He  holler  same  as  ever : 
"Caleb!    Caleb!    Caleb!" 
121 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

He  call  fer  Caleb  jes'  as  nachal  as  ever.  He 
been  thoo  smoke  and  fire  so  much,  Jay  is,  dat  his 
neck  is  des  nachally  tanned  and  tough  as  leather. 
He  done  git  some  good  outer  dem  Friday  trips 
ef  nobody  else  ain't.  Folks  don't  try  to  wring 
Jaybirds'  necks  no  mo'  sence  dat  day. 

Chillen,  troubles  is  val'able.  De  ole  folks  say 
ev'y  bile  on  yo'  flesh  saves  you  a  fever. 


XXV 

"TRUS'    OR    INTRUS'" 

BUZZARD  and  Hawk  one  time  had  a  talk. 
Hawk  say  he  live  by  de  hardes'.  He 
say  he  borry,  he  lend,  he  make  or  take 
money  of  ev'y  friend.  He  say  he  watch  de 
hens  hatch  fer  to  keep  up  wid  de  catch.  He 
say:  "Hit's  hard,  but  hit's  fair.  Dry  bread 
ain't  greasy,  hard  work  ain't  easy."  But  de  end 
er  de  year,  he  ain't  yet  square;  he  got  a  livin' 
maybe,  but  de  intrus'  yit  dare. 

Buzzard,  he  'low  he  des  take  life  easy,  he  sho 
to  run  up  on  somethin'  greasy.  He  eat  des 
what  he  find;  he  don't  ever  'sturb  his  mind.  He 
des  trus'  dat  us  mus'  live  and  eat. 

Hawk  say,  sech  talk'd  starve  any  hawk.  He 
say  you  mought  fly  all  day  and  not  find  anythin' 
in  de  way.  He  say  he  ruther  watch  and  know 
how  his  pervisions  grow. 

Buzzard  hold  his  way  is  de  best,  hit  give  him 
a  chance  to  study  and  rest. 

Des  den  Hawk  see  a  hen  walk  out  de  po'try 
123 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

yard  to  de  wood  edge,  right  behime  her  a  brood 
er  chickens,  nice  and  fat.     He  say: 

"Brer  Buzzard,  see  dat? 
I  done  watch  'em  git  fat — 
Dem  chick — ens !" 

Wid  dat — down  he  dart!  But  he  made  a 
wrong  start,  and  he  make  a  cross  dart.  He 
come  down  on  de  osage  hedge  'stidder  on  de 
wood  edge.  An  osage  thorn  ketch  him — hoi'  him 
tight — dar!  Sech  a  plight! 

Brer  Buzzard  he  float  down  easy  to  de  top- 
mos'  limb  of  dat  hedge,  he  say: 

"Oho !     Brother— oh, 
Didn't  I   tole  you   so? 
I   waits   fer  my  meat, 
When  hit  come,  den  I  eat. 
Hit  come  sho', 
I  seek  hit?    No,  no " 

Dar  Brer  Hawk  hang,  a  meal's  meat  fer  one. 

Brer  Buzzard,  urn — hum,  I  don't  say  what  he 
done. 

But  de  Hawk  and  Buzzard  fambly  ain't  been 
much  friendly  sence  dat  day. 

Chillen,  rich  folks  lives  on  intrus',  po'  folks 
lives  on  trus';  one  livin's  sho',  de  y'o'her  easier, 
I  know. 

124 


"Watch  de  hen's  hatch  fer  to  keep  up  wid  de  catch." 


XXVI 

HOW  BRER   POSSUM  LOST  HIS  OWN   SHOES 

ONE  night  Brer  Possum  come  slow  'long 
de  woods  path  draggin'  his  behime 
foots.  He  mighty  hongry,  he  is,  'caze 
he  misses  dat  chicken  dat  he  now  gits  missed  of 
sence  him'n'  Brer  Coon  done  broke  comp'ny.  He 
study  'bout  de  good  times  dat  him'n'  Brer  Coon 
uster  have  safe  robbin'  de  hen  roosts  when 
heah  he  come  right  to  de  creek  bank  and  a-dar 
right  'crost  from  him  at  de  do'  er  her  holler-tree- 
house  set  Sis  Owl  and  she  was  stirrin'  de  richest 
sorter  pot  er  chicken  soup  and  a-singin'  as  she 
stir: 

"Chicken  soup's  so  good! 
Chicken  soup's  so  good ! 
Robber!  Robber!  Shoe  boot!" 

When  Sis  Owl  lif  de  lid,  out  fly  de  richest 
sorter  scent.  Hit  'nough  to  make  any  man's 
mouf  water  let  'lone  Brer  Possum  been  so  long 
starve  of  his  favorite  meat. 

127 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

Brer  Possum,  his  jaws  drippirf,  call  'crost  de 
creek,  "Sis  Owl,  I  please  and  pray,  retch  de  ladle 
'crost  de  creek  and  give  me  des  one  taste  er  dat 
rich  soup!" 

Sis  Owl  say  de  ladle's  long  and  de  creek  nar- 
rer,  but  'tain't  dat  long  and  hit  'tain't  dat  narrer, 
but  she  say  heah  de  pot  and  ef  Brer  Possum  has 
a  mind  to  sop,  all  he  gotter  do  is  to  come  over 
and  take  his  fill  ef  so  it  take  from  de  top  to  de 
bottom  er  de  pot  to  'suage  his  honger. 

Dat  sound  mighty  good  to  Brer  Possum  and 
hit  set  him  grinnin',  and  he  ax  Sis  Owl  which 
er  way  de  foot  log.  Sis  Owl  say  nobody  dat  she 
done  invite  to  her  cook  pot  done  yit  wait  to  find 
de  foot  log  when  de  ford  right  by  'em.  She  say 
dar  won't  anyhow  be  no  lack  er  folks  to  feed 
offen  dat  pot  come  late  moon  rise,  'caze  she  done 
got  words  dat  a  many  a  neighbor  gwine  to  pass 
dat  way  dat  night  and  all  is  mo'n  apt  to  stop  and 
taste  de  pot. 

Dat  too  much  fer  Brer  Possum.  Mo'n  dat 
Sis  Owl  set  and  stir  and  de  smell  er  dat  soup 
sweep  all  over  de  swamp.  Brer  Possum  he  gwine 
sop  and  swill  from  dat  pot  ef  he  swim  to  hit. 
Sis  Owl  she  'low  ag'in,  "Heah  de  pot  and  dar  de 
ford,"  and  in  de  creek  Brer  Possum  go.  Down 

128 


POSSUM    LOST    HIS   OWN    SHOES 

he  went !     De  water  wet  and  de  creek  so  cole ! 
Brer  Possum  wet  and  col'er,  too. 

Up  he  splutter  and  strike  fer  de  y Vher  bank. 
He  don't  stop  to  feel  bottom,  he  don't,  but  he 
give  one  brambrougous  jump,  and  land  hisse'f 
knee  deep  in  de  mud.  Dar!  He  jerk  and  he 
jump  and  he  des  do  manage  to  clear  hisse'f,  but 
dar  in  de  mud  he  left  his  shoes !  Dem  HT  yaller 
shoes  he  been  all  time  s'  keerful  to  keep  from 
gittin'  wet.  Dar  dem  HT  yaller  shoes  stay  and 
dar  dey  took  rot  and  dar  dey  growed  and  dar 
dey  grow  twel  yit.  White  folks  call  'em  lady 
slipper  flowers,  but  anybody  can  see  dem  HT 
yaller  bloons'll  des  fit  Brer  Possum's  foots. 

Chillen,  take  keer.  De  ill  you  do  to  y'o'her 
folks  mo'n  apt  to  work  back  on  yo'se'f. 


10 


XXVII 

HOW  CARELESS  BRER  B'AR  LOST  THE  GOOBERS 

BRER  RABBIT  and  Brer  Fox  was  talkin' 
toge'her  one  day  settin'  by  de  spring  in 
de   fur  woods,   when  dey  conclude  dat 
dey'll  stop  workin'  and  git  to  specalatin'. 

Word's  been  gwine  round  de  settlement  dat 
Brer  B'ar  done  labor  on  his  rich  land  and  done 
raise  a  mighty  crap  er  goobers.  Brer  B'ar  he 
had  a  donkey  and  a  dump-cyart,  and  he  done 
gone  to  his  fiel'  piece  down  de  big  road  to  load 
up  dem  goobers  and  haul  'em  home. 

Brer  Rabbit  he  study  'bout  dat  rich  crap 
Brer  B'ar  done  raise  and  he  say  to  Brer  Fox : 

"Brer  Fox,  I  sho'  love  goobers, 

And  I  ain't  raise  one ; 
I  want  a  many 

And  I  ain't  got  none." 

• 

He  scratch  behime  his  yeah  and  he  study,  he 
say  to  Brer  Fox : 

130 


"He  slip  off  de  behime  part  er  de  dump  cyart.' 


BRER   B'AR   LOST  THE  GOOBERS 

"I  ain't  raise  goobers, 

Nairy  a  one  ; 
But  I  will  eat 
A  many  a  one." 

Den  he  start  out  towards  home,  holler  back  at 
Brer  Fox: 

"You  watch  out, 
You'll  see  what  I  'bout." 

Brer  Fox  he  hide  on  de  road-side  and  watch 
out  fer  to  see  what  Mister  Rabbit  do  be  'bout. 

Brer  Rabbit  he  run  home  and  go  searchin' 
thoo'  Miss  Rabbit's  cloze-chist.  He  find  whar 
be  her  bes'  red  ribbon  that  she  won't  wear 
workin'  days.  Brer  Rabbit  he  tie  dat  red  ribbon 
round  his  neck.  He  take  de  long  bag  from  de 
peg  behime  de  do'  and  he  run  to  de  big  road  which 
way  Brer  B'ar  hatter  haul  his  load.  He  lay 
down  in  dat  big  road  like  he  dead. 

D'rectly  heah  come  Brer  B'ar,  settin'  up  in 
de  dump-cyart,  drivin'  de  donkey.  De  dump- 
cyart  des  full  of  goobers. 

Brer  Rabbit  lay  right  still  in  de  big  road. 

Donkey  come  up  on  Brer  Rabbit.  He  shy  and 
'nigh  'bout  turn  over  de  dump-cyart  and  all  de 
goobers. 

133 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

Brer  B'ar  he  git  out  de  cyart.  He  look  at 
Brer  Rabbit,  he  say:  "Urn — hum!  What  man 
is  dis?" 

Brer  Rabbit  he  lay  right  still.  Don't  say 
nothin'. 

Brer  B'ar  he  turn  Brer  Rabbit  over.  He  lif 
him  up,  he  say:  "He  weigh  good.  Somebody 
done  cut  his  th'oat.  Hit  red  all  'round.  He  fat. 
I  know  dat.  I'll  take  him  home  to  my  ole  'oman 
and  us'll  have  rich  stew.  Dat's  jest  what  I'll 
do." 

He  fling  Brer  Rabbit,  bag'n'all  on  de  dump- 
cyart,  git  on  de  cyart  hisse'f  and  he  drive  'long. 
Brer  Rabbit  he  keep  des  as  still. 

Ridin'  slow  in  de  sun  make  Brer  B'ar  sleepy 
and  d'rectly  he  drap  noddin'.  Soon  as  Brer 
Rabbit  see  him  noddin'  he  up  and  fill  his  bag  wid 
goobers.  He  got  nigh  'bout  th'ee  thirds  de  load 
in  his  bag.  Brer  Rabbit  he  slide  de  bag  down 
and  he  slip  off  de  behime  part  er  de  dump  cyart. 
He  holler  at  Brer  Fox,  as  he  go  by  whar  Brer 
Fox  is  hidin'  and  watchin'  out: 

"Goobers  rich!     Goobers  good! 
Oh,  my  honey  !    Wish  you  would 
Raise  a  goober-crap  fer  me — 
I  can  eat  'em  up — he — he! 

134 


BRER   B'AR  LOST  THE  GOOBERS 

Goobers  on  a  rattan-vine ! 
Goobers  hangin'  rich  and  fine! 
Ax  me  whar  my  goobers  growed, 
Tell  you :  In  de  State  Big  Road. 

Goobers  growin'  in  a  cyart, 
Brer  B'ar  lose  de  portion-part. 
He  raise  a  goober-crap  fer  me, 
I  got  'em  in  a  bag,  you  see! 

Specalatin's  mighty  fine, 
Y'o'her  folks  yo'  ax  '11  grin' ! 
I  can  raise  des  all  I  eat, 
Never  work  my  hands  nor  feet !" 

Far  as  Brer  Fox  hear  Brer  Rabbit  he  gwine 
on  singin'.  Far  as  Brer  Fox  see,  Brer  B'ar 
gwine  on  de  Big  Road  nappin'  and  noddin'. 

Chillen,  take  keer  who  yer  take  up  wid  gwine 
'long  de  Big  Road.  Mo'n'  dat  don't  drop  nap- 
pin'  on  de  Big  Road  neither. 


XXVIII 

HOW   MISTER    RABBIT    WAS    PUNISHED    FOR 
DISCONTENT 

MISTER    RABBIT    ain't   of    a    discon 
tented    mind.     He    mos'    al'a's    take 
things  easy,  jobly  and  wid  pleadjure. 
But  one  time  he  git  mighty  discontented,  and  he 
set  studyin'  'bout  what  sorter  critter  is  he.     LiT 
and  least  of  all.     He  ain't  strong,  he  ain't  long. 
He  weak  and  he  wizzled  up. 

He  set  on  a  log,  his  tail  curled  up  over  his 
back,  fer  he  was  long  tail  den,  and  he  study 
'bout,  he  wisht  he  was  a  big  man.  D'rectly  he 
hear  de  wind  in  de  pine  over  his  head.  'Pear 
like  to  him  hit  say: 

"Ou!    Ou!    Ou! 
Go,  you, 
Pull  out  a  toof, 
Outen  de  roof 
Of  Alligator's  mouf, 
And  den  you'll  be  big 
As  ox,  cow,  or  pig. 
Ou!    Ou!    Ou!" 

136 


PUNISHED    FOR    DISCONTENT 

Mister  Rabbit  he  don't  ax  no  mo'  odds.  He 
'low  he'll  be  a  big  man  now  sho.  But  den,  Brer 
Alligator  he  is  a  big  man  and  how  is  Mister 
Rabbit  gwine  catch  Brer  Alligator  and  keep  him 
still  'long  'nough  fer  to  let  Mister  Rabbit  pull 
his  toof  ? 

Nummine!  Mister  Rabbit  he  a  mighty  cun- 
nin'  man. 

He  go  git  him  er  tent,  he  do,  and  he  git  him 
er  fiddle,  he  do,  and  he  set  up  his  tent  by  de 
river-bank.  He  put  his  bed  in  de  tent  in  one 
cornder,  and  he  go  set  on  a  t'ree-legged  stool  in 
de  y'o'her  cornder  and  he  go  playin'  on  his 
fiddle: 

"Dee— dee- 
Dee— diddle— dee  ! 

Dee — dee — 
Dee— diddle— dee !" 

Brer  Alligator  slippin'  up  and  down  de  river, 
hear  dat  sound.  Hit  new  sound  round  dar.  Hit 
sound  mighty  pleasant  to  Brer  Alligator.  He 
come  up  de  bank  to  listen.  He  see  de  tent.  He 
b'lieve  he'll  go  in  and  listen  to  dat  good  sound. 
He  knock  on  de  tent  do'. 

Mister  Rabbit  he  say:  "Come  in.  Whoe'er 
you  been." 

137 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

In  come  Brer  Alligator,  he  low: 

"Mornin'  up!    Evenin'  down! 
I  come  to  hear  dat  pleasin'  soun'." 

Mister  Rabbit,  he  'low: 

"Come  right  in, 
Whoe'er  you  been ; 
Sit  down 
And  hear  de  soun'." 

He  go  'long  playin' : 

"Dee— dee- 
Dee — diddle — dee ! 

Dee— dee- 
Dee— diddle  !" 

Brer  Alligator  set  and  listen,  set  and  listen 
twel  d'rectly  he  drap  noddin'.  Mister  Rabbit  he 
play  on. 

D'rectly  Brer  Alligator  see  he  be  drappin'  off 
noddin'  and  he  git  up  and  'low:  "Well,  I  better 
be  gwine  on — so  long!" 

Mister  Rabbit  he  say :  "No.  Don't  go."  He 
kept  on  playin'  on  dat  fiddle: 

"Dee— .dee- 
Dee— diddle— dee " 

138 


PUNISHED    FOR    DISCONTENT 

Brer  Alligator  say:  ''I  better  be  gwine  home. 
I  gittin'  sleepy.  I  gone.  So  long!" 

Mister  Rabbit,  he  say:  "No.  Don't  go, 
yonder  a  bed  over  in  de  cornder.  Lay  down 
dar  and  git  yo'  nap  out." 

Brer  Alligator  'low:  "He  don't  keer  ef  he 
do."  Down  he  lie. 

Mister  Rabbit  he  keep  on  playin'  on  dat  fiddle : 

"Dee— dee- 
Dee— diddle— dee " 


Brer  Alligator  he  'gin  to  snore. 

Mister  Rabbit,  he  git  up  easy,  he  do,  he  git  a 
maul  he  done  borry  unbeknownst  of  Johnny 
Mingo  from  Johnny  Mingo's  cabin.  He  creep 
up  to  Brer  Alligator,  he  lam  him  wid  de  maul — 
lam!  blam! 

Brer  Alligator  he  roll  outen  de  bed,  he  do,  he 
ain't  kilt  but  he  bad  hit.  He  roll  out  de  tent, 
down  de  bank  and  into  de  river — ker — slosh ! 

Dar.  Mister  Rabbit  he  ain't  got  no  alligator 
toof.  He  yit  HT  and  least  of  all  de  beasts. 

Nex'  night  he  go  HT  far'n  down  de  river.  He 
set  up  his  tent  on  de  river  bank.  He  put  up  his 
bed.  He  set  on  his  t'ree-legged  stool.  He  play 
on's  fiddle: 

139 


BEHIND   THE    DARK    PINES 

"Dee— dee- 
Dee — diddle — dee ! 

Dee— dee- 
Dee— diddle— dee!" 

Brer  Alligator  come  to  de  tent  ag'in.  He 
knock  on  de  tent  pole.  Mister  Rabbit  ax  him  in. 
He  set  and  listen  ag'in  ter  Mister  Rabbit  playin' 
twel  he  drap  noddin'  ag'in.  He  ketch  hisse'f 
noddin'.  He  'low  he  bes'  be  gwine.  Mister 
Rabbit  ax  him :  "Don't  go.  What's  de  hurry  ?" 

Brer  Alligator  'low  he  sleepy,  done  ketch  his 
se'f  noddin',  he  bes'  be  gwine. 

Mister  Rabbit,  he  'low:  "Dar's  a  bed  over 
dar,  why'n'  you  lie  down  dar  and  git  yo'  nap 
out?" 

Brer  Alligator,  he  'low :  "Sar,  I  tell  you,  sar, 
I  went  in  a  tent — des  like  dis — las'  night.  I  heard 
a  soun'  des  like  dis — las'  night.  I  seed  er  HT 
man — des  like  you — las'  night.  I  drap  noddin' 
— des  like  dis — las'  night.  Dat  HT  man — des 
like  you — ax  me  las'  night  lie  on  his  bed.  I  lie 
on  his  bed.  I  fell  snorin' — des  like  dis — las' 
night.  Soon's  ever  I  drap  snorin'  dat  man  hit 
me  wid  er  maul.  He  HT  mo'n  like  to  kill  me. 
Ef  he  had  a  hit  me  on  my  mole  he  would  a  clean 
out  kilt  me." 

140 


PUNISHED    FOR    DISCONTENT 

Brer  Rabbit  he  jump* up,  clap  his  heels  to- 
ge'her,  he  'low:  "Brer  Alligator,  whar  yo' 
mole?  Whar  yo'  mole?" 

Brer  Alligator  he  a  cunnin'  man  hisse'f,  he 
'low :  "  "Dar  my  mole,  in  de  middle  er  my  back. 
Ef  dat  HT  man — des  like  you — had  a  hit  me  on 
my  mole,  he'd  er  kilt  me  sho." 

Mister  Rabbit  he  so  glad  dat  Brer  Alligator 
done  tole  him  whar  his  mole  is.  He  'low: 
"Shoo,  Brer  Alligator,  ev'y  man  look  like  me 
ain't  me.  Lie  down  yonder  and  git  yo'  nap  er 
sleep  out."  Mister  Rabbit  he  keep  on  playin' 

dat  fiddle: 

"Dee— dee- 
Dee— diddle— dee " 

Brer  Alligator  he  lie  down,  he  did.  Mister 
Rabbit  he  set  playin'  on  his  fiddle,  he  set  wid  his 
tail  curled  up  high  like  a  squir'l  totes  his'n.  He 
play  on  dat  fiddle : 

"Dee— dee- 
Dee— diddle— dee " 

D'rectly  Brer  Alligator  fell  like  snorin'. 

Mister  Rabbit  he  git  up  easy,  lay  down  de 
fiddle  and  de  bow.  Pick  up  de  maul.  Creep  up 
to  Brer  Alligator,  lam  in  de  back — ker — blam ! 

141 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

Dat  all  Brer  Alligator  want.  Dat  lick  in  de 
middle  er  his  back  des  tickle  him  and  rouse  him 
outen  his  nap  of  sleep.  He  made  a  grab  at 
Mister  Rabbit.  LiT  mo'n  he'd  a  chawed  him 
up.  He  did  bit  dat  bushy  tail  clean  off. 

Mister  Rabbit  he  been  short  tail  ever  sence. 
And  he  yit  liT  and  least  of  all  de  beas'es. 

Chillen,  its  heap  better  be  satisfied  to  be  de 
way  you  is,  'stidder  wishin'  to  be  what  yer  ain't. 


XXIX 

WHY   BRER   FOX    DID   NOT    GET   THE   GOOBERS 


S 


OON'S  Brer  B'ar  come  in  sight  er  his 
house,  way  behime  dem  dark  pines,  he 
holler  to  his  ole  'oman: 

"Hullo !     Bar, 
Come  heah, 
Miss  B'ar; 
Goobers  heah — 
Rabbit  dar!" 


Miss  B'ar  she  run  out  de  cabin.  She  run 
round  de  dump-cyart.  She  look  in.  Des  a  KT 
rattlin'  load  of  goobers  in  de  bottom  er  de  cyart. 
Goobers  gone,  Rabbit  gone,  bag  gone! 

Brer  B'ar  turn  round  and  look.  He  scratch 
his  head,  he  say: 

"Dar ! 

Dat  'ar  man 
Done  lef '  me  bar'." 

Nex'  day  he  hitch  up  de  donkey  to  de  dump- 
cyart  and  start  to  de  patch  to  haul  up  mo' 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

goobers.  His  ole  'oman,  she  tell  him:  " Watch 
out,  now,  don't  drap  noddin'  in  de  Big  Road  wid 
dis  heah  nex'  load." 

Dis  time  Brer  Fox  he  'low  he'll  git  his  winter 
pervisions  by  specalatin'  wid  Brer  B'ar's  load, 
labor  and  land. 

Brer  Fox  he  git  a  red  string,  he  do.  He  tie 
hit  round  his  neck  same  like  Brer  Rabbit  done 
tie  his  ole  'oman's  red  ribbon  round  his  neck. 
He  git  down  de  long  bag  off  de  nail  behime  his 
house-do'.  He  go  to  de  Big  Road.  Same  place 
whar  Brer  Rabbit  done  laid  down — Brer  Fox  he 
lay  down.  He  keep  des  as  still.  D'rectly  heah 
come  Brer  B'ar  wid  'no'her  heapin'  load  er 
goobers. 

De  donkey  he  shy  ag'in  at  de  same  place. 
Brer  B'ar  he  git  off  de  cyart.  He  look  at  Brer 
Fox,  he  say:  "What  man  dis?"  Brer  B'ar 
say:  "Um — hum!  Maybe  perhaps  de  same  man 
what  stole  my  goobers  yistiddy.  You  got  de  same 
like  red  round  yo'  th'oat.  Maybe  perhaps  you 
dead,  too."  He  felt  Brer  Fox,  he  say:  "You 
good  weight,  too.  I  take  you  to  my  ole  'oman, 
may  be  you'll  make  er  good  stew." 

Wid  dat  Brer  Fox  think  he  sho  gwine  git 
good  chance  to  git  his  fill  er  goobers. 

144 


"'Maybe  perhaps  you  dead,  too.' 


11 


FOX  DID  NOT  GET  THE  GOOBERS 

Brer  B'ar  he  lif  Brer  Fox  by  de  behime  legs, 
he  say: 

"You  may  be  dead,  or  may  be  no, 
But  I  will  make  you  dead  fer  sho'." 

Wid  dat  he  swing  Brer  Fox  round  and  round 
and  lam  his  head  'ginst  de  wheel  er  dat  dump- 
cyart. 

Dat  lick  like  to  kilt  Brer  Fox.  Hit  all  he  can 
do  to  jerk  his  behime  legs  loose  from  Brer  B'ar 
and  run  home  thoo  de  dark  pines. 

He  had  de  swole  head  some  seasons  from  dat 
lick. 

Chillen,  de  same  cunnm'  trick  ain't  apt  to  work 
twict. 


XXX 

HOW    SIS    WREN    LOST    HER    PRIZE 

GAP'N   SPARRER,   he  was    feeling   and 
actin'  mighty  biggity,  small  as  he  was, 
'caze  he  done  by  law  or  by  jaw  whipped 
Brer  Buzzard  outer  his  hill-top  'tater  patch.   He 
come  founcin'  round  de  fence  cornder,  he  did, 
and  dar  he  see  two  wrens  qua'lin'  de  worst  sort 
'bout  somethin'  dey  done  find. 

Whar  dey  find  hit?  Now  dat's  hit.  What 
dey  find?  Now,  dat's  somethin'  else. 

Sence  de  birds  done  beat  Sis  Wren  back  in  de 
fence  cornders,  dat's  her  home;  and  Cap'n  Spar- 
rer  he  did  not  have  no  business  dar,  mo'n  dat 
he  had  no  business  foolin'  wid  fambly  fusses. 
But  Cap'n  Sparrer  he  do  love  a  fuss,  special  ef 
de  folks  what  fussin'  be  mo'  HT  dan  him.  So  he 
fly  into  de  fuss,  also. 

Den  dey  all  flutter  and  qua'l  and  jump,  and 
jerk.  Las'  twixt  'em  all,  dey  buried  up  de  thing 
dey  fightin'  'n'  fussin'  'bout,  and  dey  qua'l  so  dat 
nairy  one'll  'low  de  y'o'her  to  scratch  hit  up. 

148 


HOW  SIS  WREN  LOST  HER   PRIZE 

Come  a  regular  swisher-swasher,  gulley- 
washer  rain;  and  den  dey  couldn't  scratch  it  up, 
'caze  dem  HT  birds  can't  no  mo'  scratch  deep 
dan  dey  can  fly  high.  Nairy  one  er  dem  birds 
know  edzactly  what  dat  be  buried  dar,  dough  dey 
done  quar'l  so  much  'bout  hit. 

But  come  spring,  that  thing  begin  to  sprout 
and  grow.  Hit  grow,  and  hit  grow,  hit  twis' 
and  hit  turn,  hit  wind  in  a  vine  'most  'crost  de 
fiel'.  Hit's  most  a  day's  journey  fer  dem  wrens 
to  get  frum  end  to  end  of  hit. 

De  mo'  hit  grow  de  mo'  de  Wrens  and  de 
Sparrers  qua'l  'bout  hit.  All  spring  and  summer 
clean  into  fust  frost-fall  dar  was  qua'lin'  from 
dem  wrens : 

"Gi'  to  me! 
Me !     Me !" 

Den  Cap'n  Sparrer  he  ansah  back: 

"Hit's  mine! 

Hit's  mine ! 

Who  vine? 

Mine !" 

All  dat  time  a  punkin  hit  was  rounin'  out  and 
growin'  on  dat  vine.  Come  frost  and  ketch  dat 

149 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

punkin  on  de  vine  and  hit  git  yaller  as  gold  and 
sweet  inside  as  sugar. 

Dar  now !  Nairy  one  er  dem  birds  ever  seen 
a  punkin  befo',  but  dey  know  dat  thing  dat  dey 
do  see  worth  money. 

Sis  Wren  on  one  side  er  de  punkin  qua'lin'; 
Cap'n  Sparrer  on  de  y'o'her  side  qua'lin'. 

Nairy  one  er  dem  birds  can  see  de  y'o'her 
'crost  de  punkin,  yit  dey  keep  qua'lin'. 

Cap'n  Sparrer  he  holler : 

"Hit's  mine! 

Mine ! 
Dat  vine, 
Hit's  miner 

Sis  Wren  she  twitter: 

"Gi'  to  me ! 
Gi'  to  me! 
To  me! 
Hit  'long  to  me !" 

Yit  and  still  nairy  one  er  dem  birds  take  de 
punkin.  Un-humm!!  'Tain't  no  good  to  git 
som'n'  so  big  dat  yer  can't  tote  hit  off  in  yo'  hand 
or  a  head  handkercher. 

Preacher  Crow,  gwine  by,  hear  de  fuss,  and 


HOW  SIS  WREN   LOST   HER   PRIZE 

stop  by  to  try  to  settle  de  'sturbment  in  de  set 
tlement.    Dem  birds  dey  set  de  'spute  befo'  him: 

"De  seed  'long  to  Wren, 
Sparrer  hid  it — den " 


Preacher  Crow  he  go  to  scratchin'  letters  and 
riggers  on  de  ground,  he  'low : 

"Sis  Wren  got  hit, 
Sparrer  sot  hit, 
Him  dat  can  tote  hit, 
I  gwine  wrote  hit, 
Hit  'long  to  him." 

Dar !  Dem  HT  birds  dey  flash,  and  dey  flutter, 
and  dey  fly  over  dat  punkin,  but  nairy  one  can 
tote  hit.  Dey  den  call  fer  law  and  order,  and 
right  den  dey  lost  dey  fodder.  Fer  des  'bout 
den  come  'long  Johnny  Mingo.  He  'low: 

"Mornin',  Brer  Crow ! 
So  long  and  so " 

He  see  dat  punkin,  he  ain't  seed  none  befo',  he 
'low: 

"Mornin'  up,  mornin'  down! 
What  dis  heah  dis  nigger  foun'?" 


BEHIND   THE    DARK    PINES 

He  thump  that  punkin,  he  'low : 

"Hit's  round! 
Hit's  sound ! 

What  is   dis  nigger   found? 
Hit's  rich,  I  be  bound!" 

Wid  dat  he  grab  dat  punkin  offen  de  vine,  put 
hit  under  his  arm,  and  off  he  go  'crost  de  fiel'. 

Sis  Wren  and  Cap'n  Sparrer  des  look,  and 
Brer  Crow  say:  "Shut  de  book." 

Ever  sence  dat  punkins  been  growin'  in  sea 
son  in  ev'y  black-man's  patch,  growin'  rich  and 
round. 

And  Mammy  ended  this  story  with  the  sage 
saying:  "Chillen,  don't  git  in  a  qua'l  'bout  some- 
thin'  too  big  fer  you  to  han'le." 


XXXI 

WHY  BRER  DOG  BARKS 

BRER  RABBIT  he  is  cunnin'  and  he  is  pro 
jectin'. 

His  projectin'  would  get  him  swamped 
in  trouble  ef  it  wan't  dat  his  cunnin*  come  long 
and  he'p  him  out.  LiT  mo'n'  his  projectin'  like 
to  got  him  ended  up  onct  dough. 

In  de  ole  days  Brer  Dog  he  was  des  dealin' 
'struction  on  de  wile  beas'es  and  de  varmints 
'caze  er  his  whistlin'.  He  could  whistle  as  fetch- 
in'  as  a  mockin'  bird.  Brer  Dog  he'd  whistle,  de 
beas'es  dey'd  come  and  Mister  Man'd  shoot  'em 
down. 

De  beas'es  done  all  got  back  toge'her  in  de 
deepes'  woods  and  dar  dey  skeered  even  to  pass 
de  day  'mongst  one  another.  Yit  dey  all  'low 
some'in'  got  to  be  done.  But  who  gwine  do  hit? 
Dat's  hit  now.  Hit  look  like  dey  all  gwine 
'fuse  de  job  and  lose  de  chance. 

Brer  Rabbit  he  de  leas'  and  de  punies'  beas'  in 
de  woods,  yit  seein'  all  gwine  to  back  out,  he 
come  in.  He  'low  some'in'  gotter  be  done  'bout 

153 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

stoppin'  off  Brer  Dog's  whistlin'  and  he's  de 
man  what'll  do  hit. 

He  say:  "Des  leave  de  elephant  and  de  b'ar 
and  de  deer  and  de  res'  er  de  big  beas'es  behime 
dem  dark  pines  and  I'll  go  and  argufy  wid 
Brer  Dog  'bout  de  way  he  gwine  on." 

So  heah  he  go,  lippity  skip,  his  tail — long  den 
— des  sailing  over  his  back  same  as  de  squirrel's 
do  now.  He  skip  long,  he  do,  twel  he  git  to 
Mister  Man's  yard  fence.  He  lip  up  and  set 
hisse'f  on  de  top  rider  er  de  rail  fence.  He 
prick  up  his  years  and  look  'round  fer  to  see 
whar  Brer  Dog  be. 

Yond'  he  see  layin'  stretched  out  on  a  sand 
bank. 

Him'n  Mister  Man  des  been  on  a  big  hunt, 
and  de  cabin  was  nigh  'bout  kivered  wid  raccoon 
skins,  deer  skins,  squir'l  tails  and  sech  stretched 
and  tacked  to  cure  and  dry. 

Brer  Dog  done  run  so  dat  he  tired  and,  dough 
he  do  see  Brer  Rabbit,  he  des  only  lif  his  eye 
lids  fer  to  look  at  him.  He  done  been  runnin' 
wid  Mister  Man  all  day;  he  been  whistlin'  up 
de  beas'es.  De  chune  done  brung  'em  and  Mis 
ter  Man's  gun  done  flung  'em. 

Brer  Rabbit  he   'low   ter  cut  dat  chune  off 

154 


"He  pass  de  howdys  wid  Brer  Dog." 


WHY    BRER    DOG    BARKS 


short.  He  pass  de  howdys  wid  Brer  Dog  and 
de  time  er  de  day.  Den  sez  he:  "Brer  Dog,  ef 
you  ain't  too  tired,  I'd  like  fer  to  ax  you  to 
whistle  me  a  HT  chune-song." 

Brer  Dog  he  mighty  pleased  fer  to  have  a 
wile  beas'  ax  him  to  whistle,  but  he  don'  wanter 
look  too  anxious.  He  say  keerless  dat  he  knows 
a  many  chunes  but  he  don't  know  whicher  one 
to  give  Brer  Rabbit. 

Brer  Rabbit,  he  low,  how  'bout  dat  liT  ballet 
Brer  Dog  was  whistlin'  time  him  and  him 
met  down  in  de  swamp  'way  behime  dem  dark 
pines. 

Dat  make  Brer  Dog  laugh  in  his  insides  'case 
dat  day  Brer  Dog  HT  mo'n'  made  hash  of  Brer 
Rabbit. 

Brer  Dog  start  on  dat  ballet  and  he  whistled 
it  clean  thoo. 

Brer  Rabbit  he  ain't  say  nothin'. 

Brer  Dog  'low:  "Is  dat  de  ballet  you  talkin' 
'bout,  Brer  Rabbit,  or  is  hit  dis?" 

Whar-pun  Brer  Dog  start  in  and  whistle 
'nuther  ballet  clean  thoo. 

Brer  Rabbit  he  cough  behime  his  hand.  He 
ain't  say  nothin'. 

Brer  Dog  he  sho  is  pestered  'bout  he  git  no 
157 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

compliment  of  de  song.  He  cough,  and  he  hawk, 
and  he  say:  "I  b'lieve  I  sorter  hoarse  to-day, 
Brer  Rabbit." 

Brer  Rabbit  say:  "You  sho  is,  Brer  Dog.  I 
wan't  gwine  speak  'bout  hit,  but  I  done  notice 
hit  soon  as  you  fetch  up  de  ballet.  You  sho  is 
hoarse." 

Brer  Dog  he  sho  is  pestered.  He  cl'ar  his 
th'oat  ag'in  and  he  'low  to  hisse'f  dat  he  sho  is 
gwine  make  Brer  Rabbit  laugh  and  clap  his 
hands  at  de  singin'  dis  time. 

He  set  up  on  dat  sand  bed  and  he  whistled — 
lead  and  foller  and  ballet  was  all  in  dat  whistlin'. 

Brer  Rabbit  he  set  on  de  fence  wid  his  hand 
behime  his  year  listenin'.  He  ain't  sayin' 
nothin'. 

Brer  Dog,  he  'low :  "Brer  Rabbit,  how  you 
like  dat?" 

Brer  Rabbit,  he  say:  "Well,  Brer  Dog,  sence 
you  ax  me,  I  bound  to  tell  you,  some'in'  ail  yo' 


voice." 


Brer  Dog  he  good  mad,  he  'low:  "What  ail 
my  voice?  What  beas'  but  me  can  and  do 
whistle?" 

Brer  Rabbit,  he  'low:  "I  ain't  'sputin'  dat, 
Brer  Dog,  but  your  voice  hit  don't  come  out  cl'ar 

158 


WHY    BRER    DOG    BARKS 


and  strong  and  good.  Tain't  got  room  'nough 
to  come.  Dat  what  ail  yo'  voice." 

Brer  Dog  he  mad. 

Brer  Rabbit,  he  'low:  "Brer  Dog,  hit  ain't 
fer  me  to  wish  yo'  mouf  no  bigger  than  'tis,  Brer 
Dog,  fer  yo'  is  done  me'n'  my  folks  'nough  harm 
wid  hit  like  hit  'tis,  but  I  tell  you  what  I  does 
know.  Ef  you  go  in  and  git  Mister  Man's 
cyarvin'  knife  and  slice  yo'  mouf  HT  fa'r'  back 
dis  side — HT  fa'r'  dat  side — den.  De  way  yo' 
could  whistle  den!" 

Brer  Dog  he  lit  up,  he  did,  he  run  in  de  cabin. 
He  snatch  up  de  cyarvin'  knife.  He  slit  his 
mouf  back  dis  side — he  slit  his  mouf  back  dat 
side — like  you  see  his  mouf  is  now.  Den  he  'low : 
"I  lay  I  make  yo'  laugh  and  clap  yo'  hands 
now  when  I  whistle."  He  tried  to  draw  up  his 
mouf  for  whistlin'.  He  open  hit,  he  say:  "Bow! 
Bow!  Wow!" 

He  barkin'.  Dat  was  de  fust  time  dogs  ever 
barked  but  dey  been  barkin'  ever  sence.  Nairy 
one  done  got  his  mouf  drawed  up  to  whistle 
sence. 

Brer  Dog  mad,  royal  mad.  He  lip  up  at  Brer 
Rabbit.  He  made  a  grab  at  him.  He  did  nab 
off  his  tail.  Brer  Rabbit  he  des  did  'scape  wid 

159 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

his  life,  let  'lone  his  tail  gone.     Rabbits  been 
short  tail  ever  sence. 

Nairy  a  dog  been  able  to  whistle  sence. 

Chillen,  don't  be  swif  to  take  advice  of  visitin' 
friends  and  neighbors. 


XXXII 

HOW   FAIR  MAID   GOT   THE  LAST   LICK 

JOHNNY  MINGO  loved  one  ole  mare  best  of 
all  the  bosses  on  de  plantation.     Hit  was 
name  Fair  Maid.      She  been  a  race  horse 
once,  a  regular  star-gazer;  but  she  po'  now,  she 
lean  now,  she  no  mo'n  a  dirt-searcher. 

Ole  Brer  Buzzard  he  done  turn  State's  eviden' 
dem  days,  and  he  got  money.  Maybe  he  keep 
hit  in  de  ditch-bank.  I  dunno.  He  see  Fair 
Maid  gittin'  po'  and  po'  and  po'er  ev'y  day,  and 
he  say  to  Johnny  Mingo: 

"Ef  Fair  Maid  don't  die  quick, 
Even  her  bones  won't  be  good  to  pick  ; 
Gi'  her  to  me  now 
And  I'll  gi'  you  fifteen  dollar,  I  vow." 

Johnny  Mingo,  he  'clar  to  goodness  he  won't 
sell  Fair  Maid  fer  no  sech  price. 

Brer  Buzzard  he  say  he  \von't  give  no  mo', 
he'll  wait  and  git  her  fer  nothin'.  Den  off  he  go. 

"Flop !    Flop ! 
Tarro — boy !     Tarro !" 

12 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

He  wait  three  long  days,  Brer  Buzzard  do,  den 
he  come  back  to  whar  Johnny  Mingo  was  plowin' 
Fair  Maid,  he  holler  down: 

"Fung — a — lung — a — • 
Fung — a — lung — a ! 
I'll  pick  yo'  bones  fer  you ! 
Fair  Maid's  mine 
'Twixt  three  year  and  nine."  . 

Johnny  Mingo  he  so  worried  out  wid  Brer 
Buzzard  come  'sturbin'  his  mind  so  dat  he  take 
Fair  Maid  and  lead  her  three  days'  journey  to  de 
deep  swamp.  Time  he  git  dar  he  look  up.  Dai- 
swing  Brer  Buzzard  in  de  sky.  He  holler  down 
to  Johnny  Mingo: 

"Flop!     Flop! 
Tarro — boy — Tarro ! 
Fair  Maid's  mine,  Mingo, 
Tarro — boy — Tarro !" 

i 

Johnny  Mingo  he  clean  worried  out  now,  but 
he  won't  sell  Fair  Maid,  and  Brer  Buzzard  done 
gone.  As  he  go  he  holler : 

"Fung — a — lung — a — 
Fung — a — lung — a  ! 
I  lay  I  pick  yo'  bones  fer  you ! 
Fair  Maid's  mine 
'Twixt  three  years  and  nine." 

162 


FAIR    MAID 


Johnny  Mingo  take  Fair  Maid's  halter  and 
lead  her  three  long  days'  journey  to  a  holler 
'twixt  two  hills.  When  he  halt  dar  he  look  up  to 
see  de  time  by  de  sun.  Der  was  Brer  Buzzard 
hangin'  like  a  black  scythe  'ginst  de  blue  sky. 
Same  thing  he  do,  flop  he  wings,  and  he  holler 
at  Johnny  Mingo : 

''Tarro — boy — Tarro ! 
Ten  years  and  longer." 

Seven  long  years  Johnny  Mingo  lead  Fair 
Maid  dis  way  and  dat  all  over  de  plantations. 
Ev'y  time  dey  two  stop,  dar  Brer  Buzzard  swing 
in  full  day  time  like  a  black  new  moon  in  de  blue 
sky,  hollerin'  down: 

"Tarro— boy— Tarro ! 
Ten  miles  and  furder." 

But  de  seven  years  gone  and  Fair  Maid  was 
clean  wo'  out.  She  drap  in  de  fiel',  Johnny  Mingo 
see  she  done  make  her  las'  step.  He  think  she 
done  dead.  He  go  off  and  leave  her.  Down 
drap  Brer  Buzzard,  he  say: 

"Tarro — boy — Tarro ! 
Seven  year  and  mo' 
And  Fair  Maid's  mine!" 

163 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

He  lit  clost  to  Fair  Maid.  He  think  she  done 
dead.  He  flop,  he  hop,  he  say : 

"Tarro — boy — Tarro ! 
Fair  Maid's  mine." 

Fair  Maid  wa'n't  quite  dead,  she  wa'n't;  she 
lif  up  her  behime  heel,  she  did.  She  lam  Brer 
Buzzard  on  de  head.  She  HT  mo'n  kilt  him. 
She  did  kick  off  de  top  of  his  head;  he  been  bar- 
headed  ever  sence. 

Chillen,  don't  take  no  'vantage  of  de  po'  and  de 
low  down.  Watch  out  ef  you  do.  De  las'  lick 
dey  give  you  mought  lame  you. 


XXXIII 

SINCE   WHEN    MISTER   BLACKBIRD    WEARS    RED 
EPAULETS 

DEY  was  all  over  black  in  de  ole  days,  dat 
how  dey  got  dey  name,  Blackbirds. 

But  dey  don't  go  al'a's  in  de  flock  den 
like  dey  does  now.  Dey  was  in  dem  days  scat 
tered  'bout,  ev'y  one  er  de  fambly  gwine  and 
comin'  and  scratchin'  fer  deyse'ves.  And  'twas 
po'  luck  dat  dey  met  wid  sometimes.  De  worst 
luck  er  all  dat  fell  on  de  fambly  was  when  Mis 
ter  Blackbird,  projectin'  round  by  hisse'f,  fell 
in  wid  Miss  Cat. 

Miss  Cat  al'a's  did  love  ter  hear  a  bird  sing 
and  al'a's  did  love  ter  see  how  he  taste.  Dem 
days  des  like  now  she  al'a's  on  de  look  out  ter 
ketch  any  bird  she  can,  and  dat  day  Mister  Black 
bird,  off  from  his  fellers,  was  de  one  dat  she 
ketch. 

Befo'  Mister  Blackbird  know  good  what  hit 
him  Miss  Cat  had  bof  claws  on  him.  Right  den 
he  clean  give  up  and  'low  dat  was  de  las'  ac'  wid 

165 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

him.  But  den  an  idee  look  like  des  drap  sudden 
and  hit  him  on  de  head.  He  jerk  up  his  HT 
sharp  eye  right  up  in  Miss  Cat's  green  eye  and 
he  chirp: 

"Oh,  Miss  Cat,  I  beg  and  pray, 
Don't  eat  me   dat   dirty   way !" 

Miss  Cat  she  stop;  she  study:  "What  dat  bird 
talkin'  'bout?" 

Miss  Cat  she  mighty  clean.  Ain't  nothin'  mo' 
clean-conditioned  dan  a  cat  is,  do'  she  do  hate 
water.  She  sho  don't  like  fer  folks  talk  to  her 
'bout  bein'  dirty.  She  'low : 

"What  you  say,  you  Blackbird? 
I    ain't   sho'    I    rightly   heard." 

Mister  Blackbird  done  see  dat  he  made  Miss 
Cat  mad,  but  he  chirp  out  clar  as  his  skeer  will 
let  him : 

"I  beg  yo'  pardon, 

Grant  yo'  grace, 
But,  oh,  Miss  Cat 

Ought  wash  her  face!" 

Miss  Cat  was  mad,  but  she  conclude  long  she 
got  her  brekkus  sho  in  her  paw,  she'll  take  time 

1 66 


'Miss  Cat  washin'.     Mr.   Blackbird  watchin'." 


BLACKBIRD   WEARS   RED   EPAULETS 

to  wash  her  face  'n'  eat  dat  brekkus  wid  a  clean 
face.  She  lay  Mister  Blackbird  on  de  ground; 
she  set  his  wings  back'ards  and  she  put  her  claw 
top  er  bof  his  wing  shoulders.  Den  she  go  to 
lickin'  and  washin'  her  face.  Round  and  round 
wid  de  one  claw  she  go  lickin'  and  washin'  her 
face,  holdin'  Mister  Blackbird  wid  y'o'her  paw. 

Miss  Cat  washin'.  Mister  Blackbird  watchin'. 
D'rectly  over  one  eye  go  dat  claw,  over  one  year. 

Mister  Blackbird  he  holler  sharp : 

"Hit  gwine  rain 
Soon  again!" 

He  holler  so  quick  an'  sharp  Miss  Cat  jump. 
Mister  Blackbird  he  jump,  too. 

Dar !    He  done  gone ! 

But  Miss  Cat's  claw  done  scratch  off  bof  his 
shoulder  blades.  Dey  was  red  and  raw.  Dem 
shoulder  blades  is  red  twel  yit.  Mo'n  dat  ev'y 
Blackbird  travels  now  wid  de  flock.  All  go  in  a 
gang. 

Chillen,  keep  in  with  yo'  kith  and  kin.  When 
you  'vide  up,  den  troubles  begin. 


XXXIV 

THE    FIRST    WALKING-STICKS 

OLE  man  Johnny  Mingo  done  a  mighty 
cu'us  thing  when  he  cut  dat  fust  walkin'- 
stick.     'Twas  in  de  fust  times  and  old 
Johnny   Mingo  de  onlies'  black  man  in  all  de 
country  round.     He  was  tired  out  of  trompin' 
round  on  business  what  wa'n't  his'n,  and  he  col 
lude  he'll  cut  a  good  stout  stick  fer  to  help  him 
along. 

Trees  dem  fust  times  was  just  as  independent 
as  quality  white  folks  is  all  de  time. 

When  Johnny  Mingo  cut  dat  walkin'-stick,  dat 
tree  didn't  like  sech  entreatment,  and  hit  set 
up  a  squealin'  and  qua'lin'  like  de  trees  does  now 
when  de  wind's  blowin'  worries  'em. 

Trees  den  like  dey  does  now  shelters  and  feeds 
a  whole  heap  of  varmints.  All  dem  varmints  was 
up  and  ready  to  take  dat  tree's  part  like  niggers 
at  de  Quarter  ready  to  fight  when  dey  massa 
fight;  dey  all  jine  in  de  qua'l  'ginst  Johnny  Mingo 
'caze  he  done  cut  dat  stick. 

170 


THE   FIRST  WALKING-STICKS 

De  Cricket  was  de  fust  to  peep  out  de  tree 
to  see  what  de  matter  be.  She  see  what  Johnny 
Mingo  done;  done  stole  a  walkin'-stick  offen  dat 
tree  and  she  holler  keen: 

"Thief!    Thief!    Thief! 
Th-ie-f! 
Th-ie-f !" 

Some  folks  yits  fits  to  Johnny  Mingo  and  his 
fambly  dat  name  Cricket  give  him:  Thief! 
Thief! 

Nex'  Katy-did  strike  her  green  wings  toge'her 
and  dey  hear  fer  de  first  time  her: 

"Katy  didn't !    Katy  didn't ! 
Mingo  did !    D-i-d !" 

Locust  den  he  start  up,  ringin'  out  wo'se'n  de 
fire-bell  'larmin'  folks  up  to  de  town,  he  holler: 

"See— him! 

See — him ! 
See-ee-ee — 

See-ee-ee — him !" 

Cricket  start  ag'in: 

"Thief!     Thief!" 
171 


BEHIND   THE    DARK    PINES 

Johnny  Mingo  wisht  wid  all  dat  racket  gwine 
on  dat  he  never  had  cut  dat  hick'ry  stick.  He 
flung  hit  down  on  de  ground.  Off  he  run,  he 
did. 

De  ole  folks  say  dat  des  'bout  de  turn  er  de 
night  dat  stick  tried  to  jump  back  on  dat  tree. 
Hit  did  jump  back,  but  den  hit  couldn't  turn 
back  to  a  limb  no  mo',  so  dar  on  de  tree  trunk 
hit  turn  to  one  of  dese  long,  slim  bugs  what 
folks  yit  call  walkin'-sticks.  I  dunno  whe'r  or 
not  dat  so.  But  I  des  know  dey  is  de  color  of 
hick'ry  sticks,  dem  bugs  is. 

But  de  trouble  fer  de  trees  des  begun  den,  and 
dar  wan't  no  way  fer  to  stop  hit  off.  Ever  sence 
Johnny  Mingo  cut  dat  fust  stick  folks  been  cut- 
tin'  mo'  sticks. 

Sticks  of  all  sorts,  walkin'-sticks,  fire-sticks, 
fishin'-poles,  ox-goads,  bean-poles,  pea-sticks, 
and  a  many  mo'  sorter  sticks. 

Chillen,  be  keerful  what  you  start  in  dis  world. 
What's  started  keeps  a-gwine.  I  been  livin'  a 
long  time  and  I  ain't  never  seed  no  stoppin'  off 
place  yit  fer  nothin'. 


XXXV 

BRER  RABBIT   TELLS   ABOUT   THE   CIRCUS 
HORSES 

BRER  RABBIT  he  used  to  go  visitin'  ev'y 
evenin'  on  de  gals  to  Miss  Susan's  house. 
De  gals  dey  des  all  natchally  love  Brer 
Rabhit,  but  de  Ole  Man  he  do  des  natchally  'spise 
him. 

De  Ole  Man  tell  Miss  Susan  and  de  gals  ef 
ever  Brer  Rabbit  come  to  his  house  and  scratch 
hisse'f  one  mo'  time,  den  he  gwine  shet  de  do' 
in  Brer  Rabbit's  face  and  not  never  let  him  come 
in  no  mo'. 

How  Brer  Rabbit  gwine  keep  from  scratchin' 
when  de  Ole  Man's  house  was  right  in  de  swamp, 
and  de  'skeeters  was  all  time  thick  round  dat 
house  as  bees  round  a  bloomin'  'simmon  tree.  De 
ve'y  next  night  heah  start  fer  to  see  de  gals 
Brer  B'ar,  Brer  Fox,  Brer  Tarrapin  and  Brer 
Rabbit.  De  gals  dey  done  gone  up  piece  way  de 
road  for  to  meet  Brer  Rabbit  fer  to  tell  him  don't 
he  scratch  a  single  time;  'caze  if  he  do,  de  Ole 
Man  gwine  sho'  shet  de  do'  in  his  face. 


BEHIND   THE    DARK    PINES 

Dar  in  de  house  set  Brer  B'ar  des  as  easy 
fannin'  hisse'f  wid  his  palemeter  fan,  no  'skeeter 
come  by  him.  Brer  Fox  he  alVs  run  de  inde 
pendent  ticket.  All  he  hatter  do  is  to  bresh  off 
dem  'skeeters  wid  his  bushy  tail.  Brer  Tarra- 
pin  all  he  got  to  do  is  to  draw  in  his  head  in  his 
shell  when  a  'skeeter  come  nigh  him. 

Brer  Rabbit  he  got  no  palemeter  fan,  he  got 
no  tail,  he  got  no  shell,  he  got  no  nothin'.  Dar 
he  set  on  a  t'ree-legged  stool,  feared  to  wiggle 
a  year  or  to  wink  a  eye  lash.  Dar  he  set  wid  his 
foots  on  de  rung  er  de  stool  and  his  hands  on 
his  knees,  studyin'  'bout  if  he  des  could  give  one 
scratch,  'caze  dem  'skeeters  was  thick  round 
him  as  bees  round  a  bee  gum.  But  de  Ole 
Man  keep  a  steady  eye  on  Brer  Rabbit,  gwine 
shet  de  do'  in  his  face  if  he  do  scratch  a 
single  time. 

D'rectly  Brer  Rabbit  say:  "I  was  up  to  town 
las'  Sadd  y." 

De  Ole  Man  say:  "You  wuz?" 

Brer  Rabbit  say:  "I  sho  wuz." 

De  Ole  Man  say:  "What  dey  doin'  dar?" 

Brer  Rabbit,  he  say:  "Dey  had  a  circus 
dar " 

De  Ole  Man  say:  "Dey  did?" 
174 


'Brer  Rabbit  lam  hisse'f  in  de  back." 


THE    CIRCUS    HORSES 


Brer  Rabbit,  he  say :  "Yassah,  and  dey  had  a 
parade  dar,  Man." 

De  Ole  Man  say:  "Dey  did?" 

"Yassah,"  says  Brer  Rabbit,  "dey  had  de  out- 
blowinest  calliope  der  dat  I  ever  is  hear,  and  dey 
had  de  goldenest  chariot  dar  I  ever  is  seed." 

De  Ole  Man  say:  "Dey  did?" 

Brer  Rabbit  say :  "Yassah,  and  dey  had  de.cali- 
corest  hosses  to  dat  chariot  dat  ever  I  is  see. 
Dar  was  full  twelve  of  dem  calico  hosses.  De 
fust  two  was  look  like  des  as  calico  as  dey  could 
be.  Dey  had,  de  fust  one,  a  spot  right  heah," 
Brer  Rabbit  he  hit  his  leg,  "and  a  spot  right 
dar,"  Brer  Rabbit  lam  hisse'f  in  de  back,  "and  a 
spot  right  heah,  and  a  spot  right  dar."  Brer 
Rabbit  hit  and  slap  hisse'f  all  over.  He  say: 
"De  next  two  dey  was  mo'  calicorerer  dan  de 
fust  two,  dey  had  a  spot  right  heah,  and  a  spot 
right  dar,  and  a  spot  right  heah  and  a  spot  right 
dar.  And  de  next  two  dey  was  yet  mo'  cali 
corerer  dan " 

Well,  time  Brer  Rabbit  done  tole  de  Ole  Man 
'bout  all  dem  twelve  hosses  he  was  good 
scratched  all  over. 

Chillen,  it  don't  so  much  matter  what  you  do 
as  how  you  do  it. 

13  177 


XXXVI 

WHY   MISS    BAT    NEVER   SINGS 

IN  de  ole  days  Miss  Bat  could  outsing  all 
de  birds.     She  lost  her  voice  long  er  bein' 
proud,  too  proud.    She  useter  sing  all  songs. 
All  she  hatter  do  is  des  to  say,  ''click,"  like  a 
music-box  do,  and  she'd  turn  loose  one  tune  and 
take  hold  of  ano'her. 

De  birds  all  come  flockin'  by  Mister  Man's 
house  to  hear  Miss  Bat  sing.  Ef  she  have  los' 
her  fea'hers,  still  an'  yit  dey  gwine  pay  dey' 
'spec's  ter  Miss  Bat  'caze  of  her  fine  singin'. 

Kiel'  Lark  come  by  fust,  des  as  Miss  Bat  was 
singin' : 

"Laziness  kill  you  !    Laziness  kill  you ! 
Too — ra — loo !    Too — ra — lo-o-o !" 

Fiel'  Lark  find  dat  sech  a  pretty  song  dat  it 
jine  in  de  chorus. 

Foolish  Miss  Bat  she  git  mad  at  Fiel'  Lark 
fer  jinin'  in,  and  she  fling  dat  song  outer  her 
mouf  like  she  done  fling  off  fea'hers  befo'.  Den 

178 


WHY    MISS    BAT   NEVER   SINGS 

Kiel'  Lark  it  fly  on,  feelin'  free  to  sing  de  song 
and  de  chorus,  too,  sence  Miss  Bat  done  cast  it 
off  her  tongue. 

Den  Sparrer  come  by.    Miss  Bat  was  singin' : 

"Twee— ree  !    Twee— ree ! 
Te!     Te!     Te!     Tel" 

Sparrer  she  dip  in  wid  de  ballet.  Miss  Bat  she 
shoot  dat  song  offen  her  tongue  also.  Sparrer 
he  go  'long  singin'  de  chune  and  de  ballet,  also; 
done  feel  free  now  to  take  dat  song  for  his  own. 

Swaller  he  flutter  by  den;  he  dash  dis  way, 
dash  dat  way.  As  he  come  nigh  Miss  Bat  she 
singin' : 

"Come,  Summer,  come  along, 
Sing-song,  sing-a-song!" 

Miss  Bat  had  de  lead  and  Swaller  come  in  wid 
de  foller.  Miss  Bat  she  cast  dat  song  offen  her 
bill.  She  won't  sing  airy  chune  dat  airy  y'o'her 
bird  kin  carry.  Swaller  he  dash  on  carryin'  de 
lead  and  de  foller,  also. 

Mockin'  Bird  she  come  by.  She  be  des  as  light 
in  her  singin',  but  Miss  Bat  was  singin'  lighter. 
She  sing : 

179 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

"Dixie !     Dixie ! 
Dixie !    Do ! 
Never  mind  de  wedder, 
So  de  wind  don't  blow." 

De  Mockin'  Bird  she  reel  dat  song  off: 

"Dixie !    Dixie ! 
Dixie!    Do! 
Never  mind  de  wedder, 
So  de  wind  don't  blow. 
Blow !     Blow ! 
Blow-o-o-o-o-o !" 

Den  Miss  Bat,  she  sing: 

"Young  Master!    Young  Miss! 

Who  kiss?    Who  kiss? 
Kiss  me!     Kiss  me! 
Kiss  me!     Kiss  me!" 

Mockin'  Bird  track  and  find  dat  chime 

"Young!    Young! 
Young  Master !    Young  Miss ! 
Who  kiss?    Who  kiss?    Who  kiss? 
Me !    Me !     Kiss  me ! 
Me!    Me!    Me!" 

Den  de  Miss  Bat  go  it  on  her  las'  song: 

"Day's  breakin',  hoe-cake's  bakin' ! 
Mammy,  Mammy,  put  on  de  lead! 
1 80 


WHY   MISS   BAT   NEVER   SINGS 

Mammy  gwine  make  some  shortnin'  bread ! 

Shortnin'  bread ! 

Oh,  la,  Nigger,  I  thought  you  was  dead, 
Heah  you  is  reachin'  fer  shortnin'  bread!" 

Miss  Mockin'  Bird  she  catch  dat  song  on  de 
bounce  des  like  hit  was  her  own. 

Dat  was  de  las'.  Miss  Bat  done  flung  ev'y 
song  offen  her  bill  forever.  De  other  birds  done 
pick  all  dem  songs  up,  dey  has. 

Chillen,  right  now  Miss  Bat  sets  all  day  long 
in  de  darkes'  cornder  er  Mister  Man's  loft.  Chil 
len,  she  des  as  quiet  as  a  mouse.  Still  and  ugly 
she  is.  Night  comes  on  and  she  scoots  out  whilst 
de  rest  er  de  birds  is  in.  She  shoots  and  scoots 
about  some  HT.  Ef  you  ketch  her  she  squeaks. 
She  des  squeaks: 

"Che!    Che!    Che!" 

Chillen,  'twon't  do  to  be  too  proud.  Pride 
'bleeged  to  git  a  fall. 


XXXVII 

HOW  BRER   DEER   GOT  A   WHITE  FACE 

IN  de  fust  times  Brer  Deer  wa'n't  a  pale  face 
man  like  he  is  now.  Dem  days  he  had  as 
good  a  black  face  on  him  as  anybody  could 
wish  to  see. 

One  day,  des  about  bird-matin'  season,  in  de 
spring  er  de  year,  he  had  shed  his  horns  and  he 
was  loungin'  round  in  de  deep  woods  behime  dem 
dark  pines,  waitin'  fer  'em  ter  grow,  when  he 
come  upon  Brer  Rabbit. 

Brer  Rabbit  don't  know  Brer  Deer  widout 
dem  big  horns,  and  he  jump  and  run  and  holler, 
"What  strange  man  is  dat?" 

Dat  do  make  Brer  Deer  laugh,  'caze  he  sech 
a  skeery  man  hisse'f  dat  he  tickle  fer  to  see  some 
body  skeerder  dan  him.  Brer  Deer  'low : 

"Hello,  Brer  Rabbit, 
You   run   mighty  light, 
You  look  in  a  fright, 
And  you  skeered  'bout  right!" 

182 


HOW  BRER  DEER  GOT  A  WHITE  FACE 

Brer  Rabbit  he  mad  at  Brer  Deer  laughin'  at 
him,  and  he  do  wisht  dat  he  could  git  even  wid 
Brer  Deer  fer  dat  laughin'  at  him.  Brer  Rab 
bit  he  turn  round,  he  do,  and  look  at  Brer  Deer 
right  studyin'-a-fied ;  he  'low: 

"I  got  no  time  to  talk  to  you, 
I'm  gwine  fer  sweetness  now,  fer  true ; 
Sweet  as  sugar,   rich  as  wine — 
But  don't  you  ask  me  whar  I  gwine !" 

Brer  Deer  he  love  sweetness  hisse'f  and  dat 
sorter  talk  make  his  mouf  water.  He  'low: 

"Brer  Rabbit,  please,  sah,  stop  and  stay, 
I  'ants  somethin'  sweet  to-day! 
Don't  pass  so  swiftly  when  us  meet — 
I  'ants  a  passel  somethin'  sweet!" 

Brer  Rabbit  he  stop  a  minute.  He  set  right 
down  in  de  big  road  cross-legged  like  a  banjo 
picker.  He  sing: 

"May  be,  Mo'  Bee! 

Rob  Bee!     Oh! 
A  bee!     Po'  Bee! 

Be  you  po' — 

Sweetness  in  dat  holler  tree, 
Dat  dar  sweetness  ain't  fer  me. 
You  des  can  try — and  den  you  see !'' 

183 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

Brer  Rabbit  he  sit  in  de  road  and  he  sing  so 
jobly  dat  he  make  Brer  Deer's  mouf  water 
mo'n'mo'  fer  somethin'  sweet.  Heah  Brer  Rab 
bit  set  singin'  again: 

"May  be!    Po'  Bee! 

You  be  po' — 
Rob  Bee  and  he 

Do  you  so ! 

Sweet  as  sugar,  rich  as  wine, 
Tell  me,  Brer  Deer,  is  you  gwine  ? 
I  give  it  you  ef  hit  be  mine, 
Right  dar  in  dat  holler  tree 
Somethin'  sweet  you  surely  see, 
I  give  hit  you  ef  hit  be  mine — 
Good-bye,  honey,  fer  I'm  gwine !" 

Wid  dat  Brer  Rabbit  he  lit  out,  he  did.  Ole 
Brer  Deer  he  got  to  dat  holler  tree,  sho  'nough, 
he  did.  Chillen,  dat  holler  tree  was  a  bee-tree! 

No  mo'  sense  had  ole  Brer  Deer,  had  he,  dan 
to  go  peepin'  in  dat  tree.  Sho  'nough  when  he 
peep  in  dat  tree  he  smell  honey.  Sho  'nough  in 
dat  holler  tree  he  see  honey — hit  drippin'  down 
dat  holler  tree,  drap  by  drap,  down  dat  hole  drap 
by  drap,  yeller  as  gole. 

Ole  Brer  Deer  he  lick  out  his  tongue.     He 

'low: 

"Honey  in   dat  holler  wood, 
Honey  tas'e  so  very  good!" 

184 


He  got  de  big-head  all  in  a  minute.' 


HOW  BRER  DEER  GOT  A  WHITE  FACE 

He  lick  some  mo'.  Hit  come  too  slow.  Brer 
Deer  he  push  his  whole  head  in  dat  holler  tree. 
De  las'  word  de  wile  wood  heah  from  ole  Brer 
Deer  as  his  head  go  in  dat  holler  tree  was  dis : 

"Drops  as  yaller  as  sunshine, 
Richer  dan  de  punkin  vine! 
Honey!  I  will  call  it  mine, 
Sweet  as  sugar,  rich  as  wine !" 

Fudder  in  go  his  head.  Den  down  come  de 
bees,  thick  as  you  please!  Don't  they  sting? 
No  mo'  singin'  fer  old  Brer  Deer.  He  got  de 
big-head  all  in  a  minute.  His  head  so  swole  up 
he  couldn't  pull  it  out.  Des  den  heah  come  Brer 
Rabbit  lopin'  back.  Dar  he  see  Brer  Deer  wid 
his  head  stuck  fas'  in  de  holler  tree. 

Brer  Rabbit  he  cut  a  shine  behime  Brer  Deer's 
back,  he  'low  behime  his  hand: 

"You  laugh  at  me  fus',  I  laugh  at  you  las', 
Hello,  Brer  Deer,  yo'  laughin'  time  pass." 

Den  Brer  Rabbit  he  run  scootin'  by  Brer  Deer, 
he  holler  out  loud: 

"Take  yo'  head  out  de  holler  hole. 
King  George  dogs  are  barkin'  bole ! 
Dar!     Brer  Deer,  you  better  run, 
I  see  'em  comin'  'gainst  de  sun !" 

187 


BEHIND   THE    DARK    PINES 

Brer  Deer  hearin'  King  George's  dogs  are  a 
comin'  he  skeered  up  so  bad  dat  he  give  his  head 
a  awful  jerk — out  hit  come! 

But,  dar!  Dat  awful  jerk  done  strip  his  face 
off  him,  his  head  lef  red  and  raw. 

Dar !  You  ax  me  did  hit  heal  up  ?  Um — hum ! 
Somethin'  happen  'fo'  de  healin',  but  when  his 
face  did  heal  up,  hit  heal  up  tee-total  white. 
Brer  Deer  got  a  white  face  yit. 

Chillen,  t'won't  do  to  hone  atter  too  much 
sweetness;  ef  rank  sweetness  don't  sour  on  you 
one  way  'twill  'nother. 


XXXVIII 
HOW   MISTER  REDBIRD   GOT   HIS   COLOR 

AWAY  back  days  de  redbird  was  des  as 
plain  a  color  er  grey  as  de  dove  is  to 
day.  He  could  hide  hisse'f  as  commo 
dious  in  de  dry  grass  and  de  withered  weeds  des 
as  good  as  any  grey  bird  can  do.  He  wa'n't 
dem  days  sech  a  red-rose,  fiery  bird  as  he  is  now. 

He  wan't  den  a  love-sign  bird  as  he  is  now. 

How  he  a  love-sign  bird?  Why  ef  a  gal  see 
a  redbird  flutterin'  round  de  yard  or  fiel's,  and 
ef  she  don't  make  no  'miration,  don't  say  no  word 
'bout  she  done  seed  dat  redbird,  den  dat's  a  sho 
sign  dat  she  gwine  see  her  sweetheart  'fo'  Sadd'y 
night.  Dat  sign  don't  fail — ef  de  gal  don't  make 
no  'miration. 

One  time  in  bird-matin'  season  Mister  Red- 
bird  done  chose  fer  his  mate  er  HT  bird  grey  all 
over  like  him;  and  him'n  her  was  singin' 
behime  dem  dark  pines,  singin'  toge'her,  and 
flyin'  apart  and  singin'  toge'her  like  birds  does 
do,  when  des  den  Mister  Redbird  heard  sech  a 

189 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

runnin'  and  a  breakin'  twigs  'way  in  de  deep  fur 
woods.  Over  dar  he  fly  to  see  what  all  dat  fuss 
do  be.  Den  he  see  what  de  matter  be. 

Brer  Deer  done  des  pull  his  head  out  de  honey- 
hole  whar  Brer  Rabbit  made  him  stick  it  in,  and 
dar  go  Brer  Deer  runnin'  thoo  de  wile  woods, 
ain't  see  whar  he  be  gwine,  his  face  all  skint  red 
an'  raw  and  drippin'  blood. 

Mister  Redbird  he  got  a  mighty  tender  trim- 
blin'  heart  and  he  feel  so  'stressus  fer  Brer  Deer 
dat  he  fly  right  up  to  Brer  Deer;  and  up  and 
down  Brer  Deer's  face  he  fly  wipin'  de  blood 
offer  Brer  Deer's  face  wid  his  wings.  Up  and 
down  he  flutter,  wipin'  Brer  Deer's  face,  twel 
d'rectly  he  git  de  blood  staunch  up  mos'  good  as 
if  somebody  had  a-wiped  off  his  face  wid  cob 
webs. 

Blood  don't  drip  in  Brer  Deer's  eyes  no  mo', 
and  Brer  Deer  can  see  de  way  cl'ar  to  git 
home. 

But  dar ! 

When  Mister  Redbird  done  get  thoo  wipin' 
off  Brer  Deer's  face  wid  his  wings,  he  didn't 
have  a  grey  feather  on  him.  He  was  des  tee 
total  blood-red  all  over.  He  was  des  'mersed  in 
blood,  Mister  Redbird  was. 

190 


MISTER    REDBIRD 


He  been  red  ever  sence.    He's  de  reddes'  thing 
dat  goes,  des  as  red  as  any  rose. 

Chillen,  de  gracious  giver  mo'n  apt  to  git  a 
savin'  grace. 


XXXIX 

BRER  RABBIT'S  TRICK  SAVES  THE  DEER 

BRER  RABBIT  he  mought  er  been  sorry 
'bout  dat  white   face  he  done  got  Brer 
Deer,  I  dunno.     Brer  Rabbit  he  quick  to 
be  cunnin',  but  he  ain't  quick  to  be  sorry. 

But  nummine,  whe'r  he  be  sorry  er  no,  hit  come 
to  pass  on  one  day  Brer  Rabbit  was  settin'  easy 
at  his  house-do'.  All  de  woods  was  right  den 
full  er  barkin'  and  bayin',  but  Brer  Rabbit  he 
knowd  dem  was  deer-hounds  on  de  deer-run,  and 
he  ain't  'sturbed  in  his  min',  'caze  he  know  ef  a 
deer-hound,  or  fox-hound  jump  a  rabbit,  he 
gwine  git  fer  hit  nothin'  but  de  promise  lick  wid 
his  master's  whip. 

So  he  set  easy  in  his  do'.  D'rectly  he  hear  sech 
a  runnin'  and  a  breakin'  er  dry  twigs  and  heah 
come  Brer  Deer.  He  des  got  on  his  fresh  horns 
den ;  he  look  mighty  fine,  but  he  don't  feel  brave 
in  his  min',  'caze  de  dogs  and  de  hunters  is 
nighin'. 

192 


14 


"  'Is  you  see  a  deer  go  by  heah  ?' " 


RABBIT'S    TRICK    SAVES    THE    DEER 
Brer  Rabbit,  he  say : 

"So  long,  Brer  Deer,  so  long — 
What's  yer  hurry? 
What's  yer  worry?" 

Brer  Deer  pant : 

"Brer  Rabbit,  I  can't  tarry. 
I  bedoubt  I  see  tomarry; 
Brer  Rabbit,  don't  stay  me, 
Dey  'bout  to  way-lay  me!" 

Brer  Rabbit,  he  'low: 

"Brer  Deer,  say  so,  you, 
And  I'll  stop  man  and  dogs,  too !" 

Men  and  dogs  nighin'.    Brer  Deer  pant: 

"So  do,  so  do! 
I'll  much  bethank  you." 

Den  off  go  Brer  Deer  to  de  river.  He  scarce 
hope  to  git  dar,  de  hounds  sound  so  nigh.  Boon's 
ever  Brer  Deer  gone  on,  Brer  Rabbit  he  scoot  out 
in  de  deer-run,  and  dar  he  set  facin'  de  trail  wid 
his  eyes  popped  out  like  he  skeered  to  death. 

Heah  come  de  lead  hound,  give  a  tremendous 
bound.  Dar!  He  see  Brer  Rabbit.  He  ain't 

195 


BEHIND   THE    DARK    PINES 

never  brought  a  big  trail  to  so  small  a  figger 
befo',  he  'stonish,  shame,  and  mo'.  De  lead 
hunter  come  up.  Dar!  He  see  Brer  Rabbit. 
He  ain't  never  see  dat  deer  hound  trail  a  har' 
befo',  and  he  also  so  'stonish,  shame,  good  fooled, 
and  mo'. 

De  rest  er  de  hunters  all  come  up.     Dey  all 
stop  and  look.     Dey  say: 

"Is   all    dis   fuss   heah 
Been  'bout  dat  little  man  dar  ?" 

De  lead  dog  say  ter  Brer  Rabbit: 

"LIT  man  settin'  dar, 
Is  you  see  a  deer  go  by  heah  ?" 

Brer  Rabbit  he  make  out  he  trimblin',  he  say: 

"Who?     Me?     Deer? 
I  seed  nothin'  heah 
But  a  man  wid  er  cheer 
On   his   head   gwine   by. 
He  pass  dis   way — Hi?" 

All  de  chase  scatter  wile  over  de  woods.    Come 
back  atter  a  time  and  de  lead  dog  say : 

"Brer  Rabbit,  say, 
How  dat  man  look  to-day 
Wid  a  cheer  on  his  head, 
Des  like  you  said?" 

196 


RABBIT'S   TRICK   SAVES   THE    DEER 

Brer  Rabbit  make  like  he  trimblin'  mo',  he 
say:  "He  was  mos'  colored  grey,  but  his  face 
was  right  rally  snow-white  and  dat  cheer  on  his 
head  was  des  like  I  said.  Hit  had  a  long  prong 
right  heah,  dat  very  same  cheer,  a  prong  right 
heah,  and  a  prong  right  dere,  and  a  prong  right 
heah,  and  a  prong  right  dere " 

De  lead  dog  say :  "La ! 

"Brer  Rabbit,  you 
Done  fool  us  fer  true; 
Dat  ain't  no  man  wid  a  cheer. 
Dat  was  Brer  Deer — 
He  got  his  new  horns  on, 
And  now  he  gone  on." 

He  was  gone  on,  too.  He  done  swim  de  river 
some  several  times  and  done  wash  out  his  trail. 

Chillen,  when  you  start  atter  big  things,  don't 
let  no  liT  thing  stop  you  on  de  trail. 


XL 


THE  HONEST  DOVE  AND  THE  DISHONEST 
PARTRIDGE 

ONE  thing  no  man  don't  know,  and  dat  is 
how  far  cunnin'  can  go.  Hit  leaves  fleet- 
ness  and  slowness,  strongness  and  weak 
ness,  all  travellin'  on  de  big  road,  while  hit  takes 
the  nigh-cut  and  gits  to  de  feas'  fust. 

In  de  ole  days  Dove  and  Part'idge  picked  a 
qua'l;  'twas  de  same  ole  'sputement  'twixt  cun 
nin'  and  'countable.  Hit  seemed  a  fair  chance 
fer  Sis  Dove  to  win.  She  had  a  pa'r  of  wings 
no  bird  could  outfly.  She  mons'ous  smart  in 
larnin';  but  Part'idge,  she  been  cunnin'  sence 
she  been  born.  She  been  all  time  pert  and  fat 
and  sassy.  De  qua'l  went  sorter  so : 

Part'idge,  she  'low  dat  Dove  is  mighty  greedy 
to  talk  'bout  de  grains  what  drap  out  de  year, 
and  Dove  so  rich,  too;  got  a  lien  on  all  de  corn- 
craps  in  de  wo'ld. 

Dove  say  yes,  she  is  got  crap  liens  a  plenty, 
and  she  sho'  got  a  right  to  fatten  on  all  de  fiel's 
in  de  wo'ld  'caze  she  de  fust  one  in  de  wo'ld  to 

198 


THE   DOVE  AND  THE   PARTRIDGE 

start  corn-plantin',  'caze  she  plant  de  first  grain 
er  corn  ever  was  plant  in  de  wo'ld,  Dove  did. 

Part'idge  say  she  bless  her  stars  she  ain't 
'bleeged  to  work  in  no  fiel';  she  sets  in  de  house 
and  Bob  White  fetches  her  rations  home  at  night. 

Dove  say  she  is  done  hear  all  de  Part'idges 
sing  day  in  and  day  out: 

"Bob!     Bob  White! 
Corn  ripe? 
Not  quite. 
Dog  bite  ? 
Yas,  at  night." 

Part'idge  'low  dat's  a  fib  folks  tellin'  on  Mister 
Part'idge  'bout  him  axin'  is  folks'  corn  ripe  and 
do  folks'  dog  bite. 

Dove  say  she  don't  know  so  good  'bout  dat, 
any  how  she  'low  dar  won't  be  no  plantin'  er 
corn  nex'  year. 

Part'idge  say:  "How!    How  come?" 

Dove  say  she  been  studyin'  as  how  she'll  try 
livin'  off  starvin'  awhile  like  some  other  folks 
does. 

Part'idge  say  folks'll  talk  'bout  dat,  dey'll  say: 
''How  comes  Sis  Dove  so  rich  and  yit  won't  have 
no  corn  planted  dis  year?" 

199 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

Dove  feel  sorter  jubious  den,  but  she  'low : 
"Dem  what  don't  plant  is  fatter  den  dem  what 
does." 

Part'idge  'low,  keerless  dat,  well,  ef  Miss  Dove 
willin'  to  eat  pickin's  and  leavin's,  den  she  maybe 
mought  git  on  'dout  de  usual  crib  full. 

Dove  'low :  "So  den,  pickin'  and  stealin'  he'ps 
fum  starvin'." 

Part'idge  say  she  ain't  speak  de  word  "steal- 
in'."  But  she  say,  ef  you  come  to  starvin',  she 
like  to  know  who  can  live  offer  starvin'  longer 
dan  she  can. 

Dove  she  is  too  high  minded  to  let  eggin'  pass, 
so  she  git  Preacher  Crow  to  draw  up  a  'gree- 
ment  'twixt  her  and  de  Part'idge,  to  see  which 
one  can  starve  de  longes'  day. 

Part'idge  say  she'll  choose  de  broom-sedge 
fiel'  to  stay  to  starve  in,  fer  ev'y  bird  knows  de 
heavies'  sedge-fiel'  in  de  world  don't  bear  nothin' 
to  eat.  Part'idge  say  she  wisht  she  could  take  a 
high  stand  to  starve  in  de  sight  of  all  de  birds, 
but  she  say  she  des  a  po'  creeter,  'caze  of  her 
short  legs  and  short-flight  wings,  and  so  she'll 
hatter  take  a  low  seat. 

Dove,  she  say,  long  as  she  do  b'long  to  a  race 
of  high-flyers  'mongst  de  birds,  she'll  choose  a 

200 


THE   DOVE  AND  THE   PARTRIDGE 

high  seat  in  sight  of  all  de  birds,  which  will  be 
watchin'  to  see  fair  play.  Den  Dove  she  take  a 
perch  on  de  top-most  rider  of  a  ten-rail-stake- 
and-rider-worm  fence. 

Fust  day  of  de  starvin'  match,  Dove  call  out 
cl'ar  at  break  of  day: 

"Coo — coo-oo-oo-oo — 

I  starve-ve-ve 
De  longes'  day !" 

Part'idge  whistle  from  de  sedge  fiel' : 

"Riddle,  riddle,  ray! 
I  starve  de  longes'  day!" 

Nex'  day  Dove  feel  sorter  po'ly,  'caze  she  ain't 
eat  none  day  nor  night,  but  she  raise  up  her  head 
and  coo: 

"Coo-oo-o-o-o-o — 

Who-o— 
Starve  de  longes'  day?" 

Now  Part'idge  al'a's  could  scoot  thoo  de  sedge 
and  nobody  see  her  gwine.  She  slip  in  de  sedge 
fiel'  dis  way  and  dat  way;  de  sedge  fiel'  jines  de 
hack-berry  hedge  on  one  side  and  de  corn  patch 
on  de  y'o'her.  Nobody  can't  see  what  she  do  dar, 
so  second  day  she  whistle  lively  as  de  fust : 

20 1 


BEHIND   THE    DARK    PINES 

"Riddle,  riddle,  ray ! 
I  starve  de  longes'  day!" 

Third  day  of  starving  early  in  de  mornin', 
Dove  des  can  coo  so  low : 

"Coo-o — 

Who— Who-o-o— " 

Den  she  keel  over  dead  off  de  high  fence.  De 
birds,  dey  all  give  de  word  as  Sis  Dove  she  sho 
did  ac'  fair. 

Third  day  Part'idge  she  flew  out  de  sedge  fiel* 
lively  as  ever  and  whistle : 

"Riddle,  riddle,  ray ! 
I  starve  de  longes'  day!" 

De  birds  des  all  wag  der  heads;  dey  say  dey 
don't  know  so  good  what  Part'idge  done.  Dey 
wag  dey  heads,  but  dat  Part'idge  she  yit  fat  and 

sassy. 

Chillen,  'twon't  do  fer  fine  folks  ter  git  into 
'sputes  wid  low-livin'  cunnin'  creeters. 


XLI 

WHY  BRER  BUZZARD'S  HEAD  IS  BALD 

MISS  SUSAN  she  done  gin  out  de  news 
dat  she  gwine  give  a  cake-walk  ter 
de  settlement.  All  de  neighborhood 
dey  been  fer  de  longes'  a  gittin'  ready  fer  dat 
cake-walk. 

Brer  Rabbit  he  done  borry  one  er  ole  Miss 
Rabbit's  smufr"  breshes,  and  done  polish  up  his 
front  teef,  bof  rows,  twel  dey  shine. 

Brer  Possum  he  try  to  git  a  pleasin'  grin  on 
him;  he  don't  study  'bout  nothin'  but  gwine  to 
dat  cake-walk,  he  don't. 

Miss  Mole  she  des  rub  her  pink  hands  toge'her, 
rub  her  pink  hands  and  turn  up  her  nose  at  ev'y- 
thin',  yit  she  gwine  to  dat  cake-walk,  ef  de  trap 
spar'  her. 

Mister  Lizard  he  been  fer  a  season  doin' 
nothin'  but  tryin'  on  new  clothes,  sleek  new  cloze 
of  ev'y  color ;  he  'low  to  be  de  best  dressed  man 
dar. 

Brer  Buzzard,  dough,  he  do  'low  ter  hab  de 
203 


BEHIND   THE    DARK    PINES 

most  stylishes'  head  dat  dar  is  gwine  to  be  dar. 
He  wan't  bal'-headed  den,  not  he.  He  had  as 
good  a  head  er  ha'r  as  anybody  dem  days.  Also 
he  done  kep'  his  ha'r  in  wrops  a  mont'  er  mo', 
ever  sence  dey  done  fust  tell  er  dat  cake-walk. 

Jedge  Peacock  he  des  all  de  time  stand  in  de 
sun  and  study:  Shall  he  go,  or  not  go?  'Caze 
look  like  to  him  dat  gwine  be  de  mos'  likely  way 
fer  him  to  sho'  off  dem  rusty  feet  er  his'n  cake- 
walkin' — but  den,  shoo,  he  ain't  gwine  to  git 
missed  er  dat  tea  supper  no  how. 

Ev'y  minute  Brer  B'ar  he  look  at  his  watch, 
he  don't  wanter  by  no  means  be  late. 

Ev'ybody  meetin'  ev'ybody  else  in  de  Big  Road 
and  tellin'  dem  how  many  shoats  Miss  Susan 
done  have  ole  Johnny  Mingo  kill,  and  how  many 
cakes  she  done  have  old  Aunt  Critty  fer  to  bake. 

Mon!  De  way  Miss  Susan's  house  look  dat 
night !  Pine  torches  was  ev'y whar  in  dat  house. 
Dey  was  stickin'  and  burnin'  in  ev'y  knot-hole. 
De  torches  was  tied  wid  plow  lines  to  de  cornders 
of  de  fireboard.  Dat  light  wood  was  blazin' ! 

Mon !  'Twas  a  sight  in  dat  house !  Brer  Rab 
bit  he  grin  so  as  to  show  off  bof  rows  of  toofes. 
Brer  Possum  try  to  smile.  Miss  Mole,  she  could 
see  den,  was  wavin'  her  pink  hands  and  lookin' 

204 


'He  wan't  bal'-headed  den,  not  he." 


WHY    BRER    BUZZARD'S   HEAD   IS   BALD 

ev'ywhar.  Mister  Lizard  he  so  fine  dress  dat 
his  cloze  change  color  in  de  light  and  in  de  dark. 

But  of  all — Brer  Buzzard  he  was  de  fines' 
lookin'  man  dar.  His  head  been  so  good  wrop, 
and  wrop  so  long  time,  dat  now  when  hit  was 
turnt  loose  and  good  grease  hit  look  like  hit 
would  fill  a  half  bushel  medjure — and  den  run 
over !  Sech  a  head !  Ev'ybody  in  de  house  was 
makin'  a  gre't  'miration  over  dat  head  er  ha'r. 

I  wisht  you  could  a  seed  ole  Brer  Buzzard  dat 
night.  He  des  lean  keerless  like  'ginst  de  side 
er  de  house,  right  under  de  bigges'  blazin'  light- 
wood  torch  dat  dar  was  in  dat  house.  Mon! 
When  dat  light  fell  right  on  his  head  you  could 
see  de  goose  grease  shine  on  ev'y  stran'  er  ha'r 
dat  he  had. 

Miss  Susan  she  had  des  set  de  row  fer  to 
begin  dey  walkin'-  when,  Lawsy  massy-me,  dar 
broke  out  sech  a  light,  sech  a  blaze  as  never  was ! 
Hit  look  like  forked  lightnin'  done  bust  loose. 
Hit  sound  like  a  whole  kettle  er  fish  fryin'.  De 
whole  endurin'  place  was  lit  up.  Somebody  hol 
ler,  "Fire!"  Ev'ybody  holler,  "Fire!" 

Den  sech  a  tumblin'  and  fallin'  one  over  de 
y'o'her,  and  all  over  each! 

De  bright  light  put  out  Sis  Mole's  eyes.  She 
207 


BEHIND   THE    DARK    PINES 

can't  see  a  wink  twel  yit.  Brer  B'ar  he  fell 
midst  de  flo5  and  bust  his  watch.  He  ain't  yit 
able  to  find  de  time  to  wake  up  fum  his  winter's 
nap.  Brer  Possum,  he  fell  'crost  Mister  Ground 
Lizard,  and  Mister  Ground  Lizard  in  de  scuffle 
turn  and  bit  him,  and  dat  set  him  ter  laughin'. 
Old  Brer  Possum's  a  laughin'  twel  yit,  and  hit's 
truf,  ef  a  ground  lizard  do  bit  a  person,  twel  yit, 
dat's  gwine  make  dat  person  a  all-the-year-round 
giggler,  let  'lone  a  possum. 

Mon !  What  you  reckon  was  de  matter  ?  Ole 
Brer  Buzzard's  head  er  ha'r  done  cotch  er  fire 
fum  a  spark  droppin'  off  dat  torch. 

Mon !  Didn't  hit  blaze !  Hit  burnt  all  his  ha'r 
off.  He  bal'-head  ever  sence. 

Chillen,  ef  you  try  to  outshine  yo'  friends  and 
neighbors,  you  may  git  so  bright  you  git 
burnt  up. 


XLII 

MISS   REDBIRD 

DAT  day  when  Mister  Redbird  done  got 
Brer    Deer   sorter   holped   up,    dat   day 
Brer  Deer  got  his  face  skint  white,  Mis 
ter  Redbird  done  got  hisse'f  a  tee-total  red  all 
over.     Red  as  blood  'caze  he  been  merged   in 
blood  by  wipin*  off  Brer  Deer's  bleedin'   face. 
Back  thoo  de  wile  woods  he  fly  to  sing  ag'in  wid 
his  mate. 

But  dat  liT  grey  bird  what  he  done  lef  dar 
didn't  know  dat  red  color.  He  lef  her  grey.  He 
come  back  red.  'Twan't  no  wonder  she  fly  off 
ev'y  time  he  come  nigh.  She  fly  away  and  she 
sing  at  him: 

"Cha— Cha— Cha! 
Go  'way — 'way !" 

Mister  Redbird  he  was  clean  out-done.  He 
can't  git  Miss  Redbird  to  stay  still  long  'nough 
to  hear  what  he  got  to  say  fer  hisse'f.  She  jest 
flutter  off  and  she  sing: 

is  209 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

"Cha — Cha — Cha — 
Go  'way ! 

I  don't  know  you ! 
I  don't  know  you ! 
Who  you  ?    Who  you  ? 
Who  you  ?" 

He  keep  tryin'  to  tell  her  he's  her  true  mate, 
but  she  flutter  and  she  sing : 

"No,  no,  no — 

(Des  so.) 
You  too  red, 
Wings,  breast  and  head. 
'Way!   'Way!   'Way!" 

Den  to  make  things  worse  for  Mister  Redbird, 
heah  out  de  woods  flash  de  Killdee'  and  holler, 
like  she  do  holler,  at  Mister  Redbird: 

"Did  yon  kill  Deer? 

Kill  Deer?   Kill  Deer? 

Dar,  now  Redbird  he  done  help  Brer  Deer  and 
yit  he  'cused  er  bein'  de  one  what  kilt  him,  er 
nigh  kilt  him. 

But  Mister  Redbird  bound  to  'splain.  He  pes 
tered  but  he  keep  right  atter  Miss  Redbird.  He 
git  nigh  'nough  to  hoi'  her;  he  flash  his  wing 
'ginst  her ;  he  dash  his  red  breast  'ginst  her ;  dey 

210 


MISS    REDBIRD 


two  chase  and  race  thoo  de  wile  woods.  When 
dey  come  to  the  aidge  er  de  pond  behime  dem 
dark  pines,  dey  stop  to  ketch  breaf.  Dey  look 
in  dat  pond. 

Bar! 

Now  Mister  Redbird  done  tap  her  wad  his 
fresh-dyed  red  wing,  breas'  and  tail,  and  she  nigh 
'bout  red  as  he  is.  But  not  quite.  She  got  some 
grey  fea'hers  left.  But  she  see  she  like  'nough 
him  fer  to  make  up  dey  qua'l.  So  dey  set  on  a 
limb  and  sing  toge'her  ag'in. 

But  right  now  hit  make  Mister  Redbird  mad 
for  de  Killdee'  to  come  holleriir  out  de  swamp 
at  him : 

"Kill  Deer!    Kill  Deer! 
Kill  Deer!" 

Chillen,  don't  change  yo'  ways  whilst  you  'way 
from  home  if  you  want  a  welcome  when  you  git 
back  dar. 


XLIII 

HOW  BRER  RABBIT  GOT  IN  THE  WATER  AND 
OUT   AGAIN 

BRER  RABBIT  HT  mo'n  got  lost  er  his  life 
onct,  by  lettin'  Brer  Hawk  pen  him  up. 

He  'low  he  can't  stand  no  mo'  poundin' 
up  like  dat.  Fire  or  water,  ruther  dan  have  Brer 
Hawk  pen  him  up  ag'in,  so  he  lopin'  'long  de  Big 
Road  one  day  when  he  hear  Brer  Hawk  behime 
him  shriekin': 

"I'd  ruther  eat  rabbit 
Dan  chicken — 
Chicken !" 

Brer  Rabbit  didn't  take  time  to  even  lick  his 
left  behime  foot,  dough  he  know  ef  he  do  dat  de 
chaser  won't  git  at  him  dat  race.  Brer  Rabbit 
he  des  lit  out,  he  did. 

Far  over  in  de  'midst  of  de  fiel'  mos'  as  clean 
as  a  man's  hand,  he  seen  one  HT  mound  look  like 
slim  weeds.  He  think  may  be  a  brier  patch  be- 
yont  it.  He  make  fer  it. 

212 


IN   AND   OUT  AGAIN 


Brer  Hawk  right  behime  him  hollerin' : 

"I'd  ruther  eat  rabbit 
Dan  chicken !" 

Brer  Hawk  'bout  to  strike  his  claws  in  de 
middle  of  Brer  Rabbit's  back  when  Brer  Rabbit 
give  one  long  lippity — jump — and —  Ker  slosh ! 
A  wash ! 

Brer  Rabbit  done  jump  clean  thoo  de  fringe 
er  slim  weeds  and  done  lit  head  fo'mos'  right  into 
a  hoss-pond.  Brer  Rabbit  he  don't  love  water 
neither.  He  come  up  sputterin'  and  spittin'. 

Brer  Hawk  he  dart  nigh  'nough  to  say: 

"Brer  Rabbit,  I  git  yer  nex'  time. 
I  like  now  to  see  yer  climb!" 

Now  dat's  hit.  Brer  Rabbit  he  want  to  climb 
out,  he  do,  but  Brer  Hawk  flyin'  high  know  mo' 
'bout  dat  hoss-pond  dan  Brer  Rabbit  do.  De 
water  done  sunk  low  in  de  summertime  dry 
drought  and  de  side  of  dat  pond  was  slick  and 
sweatin'  wet  all  de  day.  Dar  wa'n't  no  climb 
out  fer  Brer  Rabbit.  He  des  do  manage  to  keep 
his  head  outer  dat  water,  he  say : 

"No  mo'  water,  but  fire  nex'  time; 
Wisht  ter  goodness  I  could  climb !" 

213 


BEHIND   THE    DARK    PINES 

Hot  as  hit  was  wid  de  high-topped  June,  Mis 
ter  Rabbit  can  des  make  out  to  sing  dat  weakly 
tune.  His  teef  des  knockin'  'ginst  his  gums  in 
his  head.  He  nigh  'bout  frozen  to  death. 

D'rectly  he  hear  somethin'  trompin'  thoo  de 
weeds,  comin'  ter  de  pond.  Brer  Rabbit  keep 
right  still,  and  listen.  Hit's  Goat  comin'. 

Goat  look  in  dis  side  er  de  pond,  look  in  dat 
side  er  de  pond.  He  want  ter  make  his  once  a 
year  drink,  but  he  feared  ef  he  lean  to  drink  he'll 
slip  in.  He  ain't  seen  Brer  Rabbit. 

Brer  Rabbit  des  kin  keep  his  head  up,  he  say : 

"Wisht  ter  goodness  1  could  climb ! 
Mornin',  Goat,  you  take  a  float?" 

Brer  Goat  he  'stonish,  he  say : 

"Brer  Rabbit,  what  doin'  dar  ?  , 
I  see  years  and  eyes,  but  no  ha'r." 

Brer  Rabbit  he  most  wo'  out,  but  he  able  to  try 
a  trick ;  he  ansah  up  gaily : 

"Hit's  hot  and  dry, 
But   I   des  try 
Ef  I  can  keep  cool. 
It's  de  good  ole  rule." 

214 


'Brer  Rabbit  shake  hisse'f  in  de  sun. 


. 


IN   AND   OUT  AGAIN 


Goat  studyin'  whe'r  ter  b'lieve  him  or  no,  when 
Brer  Rabbit  'gin  ter  talk  'bout  what  a  fine  pa'r 
o'  horns  Goat  got.  He  'low  dey  HT  mo'n  touch 
de  sky.  But  he  say,  "You  look  too  dry,  des  jump 
in  and  try  a  good  coolin'  down  and  a  swim  round 
and  round." 

Goat  ain't  use  to  havin'  folks  po'  'lasses  down 
his  year  and  it  sound  mighty  jobly  to  him.  Brer 
Rabbit  gittin'  weaklier  and  weaklier.  He  seed 
Goat  chewin'  an'  chewin,  but  he  don't  know  what 
he  studyin'  'bout.  He  say: 

"You  better  come  try, 
Per  hit's  sho'  hot  an'  dry." 

Ker-blip !  'Fo'  Brer  Rabbit  knowed  what  Goat 
studyin'  'bout  he  done  jump  right  in  de  pond. 
De  wash  and  de  swash  of  dat  jump  HT  mo'n 
like  to  drown  Brer  Rabbit  out  right.  He  des 
managed  to  slip  on  de  Goat's  back  and  climb  out 
on  his  horns. 

Brer  Rabbit  shake  hisse'f  in  de  sun;  he  roll 
over  and  over  to  dry  hisse'f.  Des  'fo'  he  lit  off 
'crost  de  fiel'  he  holler  to  Goat: 


"I  tole  yer,  Goat, 
To  try  to  float, 
And  yo'  horns,  dey  was  high 

217 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

As  to  reach  to  de  sky, 
So  long,  and  by — by." 

He  lef  Goat  kickin'  in  dat  pond  and  chilled 
to  de  bone  dough  'twas  dry  drouth. 

Chillen,  don't  you  listen  to  deceivin'  flatterin' 
words.    Hit  mo'n  apt  to  git  you  in  trouble. 


XLJV 
CHUCK-WILL'S-WIDOW'S    SECRET 

DAT    HT    Chuck-willVwidder,    dat    HT 
brown  bird,  she's  tellin'  a  sec'et,  she  is. 
But  she  ain't  tellin'  all  of  it.     And  you 
mind  out,  a  sec'et  dat's  half  tole  is  wo'se  'n  a 
sec'et  dat  ain't  tole  at  all.    Dis  is  how  'twas. 

Johnny  Mingo  he  al'a's  was  po',  and  his  folks 
was  po',  and  dey  al'a's  gwine  to  be  po'.  Dey  is 
po'  'caze  dey  is  al'a's  lookin'  fer  some'in'  to  come 
up  ter  make  'em  rich.  Nothin'  gwine  come  up. 
Somethin'  g\vine  stay  down.  What  gwine  stay 
down?  Dat  what's  put  down.  De  tale  of  it  go 
sorter  so: 

Long  days  ago  Johnny  Mingo,  he  was  a  rale 
ole  Af'ica  man,  he  was,  he  got  tired  belongin'  to 
his  ole  massa,  and  he  'low,  he  did,  to  get  tog'her 
'nough  money  fer  to  buy  hisse'f — call  hisse'f 
free.  He  work,  and  he  work,  and  he  don't  never 
shirk.  But  he  don't  get  toge'her  no  money.  End 
er  de  year  come  and  he  had  feed  and  cloze,  but 
no  money  to  show. 

219 


BEHIND   THE    DARK    PINES 

Las'  he  git  a  roguish  mind  on  him.  Den  he 
'gun  to  spy  and  spy,  and  he  'gun  to  watch  and 
find  out  whar  his  massa's  money-chist  do  be. 
He  'low  he'll  des  slip  out  his  own  worth  and 
weight  er  gole  out  er  dat  money-chist — ef  no  mo'. 

One  night  des  'twixt  daylight  and  dark,  when 
he  done  find  out  whar  dat  money-chist  do  be, 
he  slip  in  and  dip  out  a  lot  er  gole  out  dat  chist. 
Nobody  was  watchin' ;  he  took  his  head  handker- 
cher  off  and  he  filled  hit  clean  full  ef  gole,  and 
he  tie  hit  up  by  de  fo'  cornders.  His  head  hand- 
kercher  offen  his  head,  his  ole  grey  wool  stand  up 
on  top  his  head,  and  Johnny  Mingo  he  study 
'bout  he  a  free  man  den. 

Off  he  go  wid  dat  handkercher  er  gole.  Dat 
all  he  got  to  tote  hit  in,  'caze  'fo'  Coun'  Sur 
render  niggers  wan't  'lowed  no  pockets  in  dey 
cloze.  White  folks  say  pockets  in  dey  cloze  'd 
make  niggers  roguish.  De  fust  thing  niggers 
done  when  dey  hear  Coun'  Surrender  was  to  turn 
dey  cloze  wrong  side  out'ards  and  go  puttin' 
pockets  in. 

Johnny  Mingo  hung  dat  handkercher  on  de 
end  his  crook-neck  hick'ry  stick,  and  dart  off  fas' 
as  he  can  to  de  swamp,  to  hide  dat  gole  twel 
time  when  folks  done  fergit  to  be  lookin'  fer  hit. 

220 


CHUCK-WILL'S-WIDOW'S    SECRET 

Gwine  to'ard  de  swamp  he  go  by  his  house  and 
pick  up  his  three-legged  iron  pot.    Now  he  'low : 

"Oho! 

Johnny  Mingo 
Be  a  free  man, 
I  know." 

He  done  stole  gole,  and  nobody  don't  know  he 
done  stole  gole.  But  no  sooner  he  strike  de 
swamp  dan  he  heard  de  ole  Bull-frog  start  up: 

"You  stole ! 
You  stole! 
You  stole ! 
You  stole!" 

Dat  skeer  Johnny  Mingo  nigh  to  death.  He 
been  study  'bout  nobody  know  he  done  stole,  and 
now  de  news  done  tole.  He  stan'  still  and  listen. 
Sho  'nough  Mister  Bull-frog  keep  hollerin' : 

"You  stole ! 
You  stole!" 

Hit  was  mo'n  Johnny  Mingo  could  stand.  He 
stop  midway  de  swamp,  he  'low : 

"\Yatch  out,  Bull-frog, 

What  you  tole ! 
Ef  I  steal,  what  did  I  stole?" 
221 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

Dat  didn't  set  Mister  Bull-frog  back  nairy  bit. 
Hit  didn't  so  much  as  make  him  take  in  de  slack 
er  his  voice.  He  des  give  Johnny  Mingo  de 
ansah : 

"Pot— er— gole! 
Pot — er — gole !" 

Dar !  Johnny  Mingo's  knees  clean  give  out  at 
dat.  He  stop  right  whar  he  be  and  fix  to  bury 
dat  gole  right  dar  whar  he  be.  He  dig  a  hole 
deep,  deep,  deep.  He  pour  de  gole  in  de  pot. 
He  bury  dat  pot-er-gole  deep,  deep,  deep.  Soon 
as  he  pour  out  dat  gole,  he  tie  his  handkercher 
on  his  head  agin.  Dar!  He  free  man  no  mo', 
handkercher  on  his  head  same  as  befo'.  He 
stomp  fresh  dirt  over  dat  hole;  he  rake  leaves 
over  de  place  wid  his  fingers.  Den  Johnny 
Mingo,  he  low: 

"Nobody  can't  find  dat  gole, 
Ef  Bull-frog  is  done  tole 
Who  stole!     Who  stole!" 

Out  de  swamp  he  go,  ole  Johnny  Mingo.  Time 
he  git  to  his  house  he  sorter  git  over  his  skeer, 
and  he  study  'bout  what  spot  did  he  hide  dat 
gole.  He  ain't  blaze  no  tree;  he  ain't  turn  no 

222 


CHUCK-WILL'S-WIDOW'S    SECRET 

stone;  he  ain't  break  no  limb;  he  mo'n  apt  not 
ever  to  find  dat  spot.  Come  nex'  day  he  go  to 
de  swamp  fer  ter  see  can  he  fin'  dat  spot  or  no. 
Dar  he  stand  still  and  study : 

"I  don't  know  whe'r  or  not 
I  ever  find  dat  pot!" 

Des  den  a  HT  brown  bird  on  a  log  down  in  de 
dry  leaves  holler  up  and  tell  Johnny  Mingo  whar 
dat  gole  be.  She  sing: 

'Twixt  de  elm  and  de  white  oak ! 
Twixt  de  elm  and  de  white  oak." 


But  when  Johnny  Mingo  look  round  to  choose 
de  spot  to  dig  dar  he  see  so  many  elms  and  so 
many  white-oaks.  Yonder  elm,  dar  white-oak, 
dar  elm,  yonder  white-oak !  He  don't  know  'bout 
which-a-one  de  Chuck-will's-widder  spoke.  He 
don't  dig,  he  des  stand  and  study  'bout  whar  to 
dig.  He  got  dem  studyin'  ways  twel  yit,  and 
mo'n  dat,  all  his  folks  got  'em  also.  Stand  and 
study.  When  you  see  a  lazy  nigger  right  now, 
he's  studyin'  'bout  dat  pot-er-gole — study  dat 
he'll  find  it  some  day,  den  he  won't  hatter  work 
no  mo'. 

223 


BEHIND   THE    DARK    PINES 

Twel  yit  de  Frog  and  de  Chuck-will's-widder 
keep  up  tellin'  dat  tale.  Mister  Bull-frog  holler : 

"You  stole! 
Pot — er — gole !      , 
You  stole! 
Pot— er— gole !" 

Den  if  you  listen  you  hear  de  Chuck-will's- 
widder  tell  whar  Johnny  Mingo  hide  dat  pot-er- 
gole. 

"  'Twixt  de  elm  and  de  white  oak ! 
'Twixt  de  elm  and  de  white  oak." 

Chillen,  'taint  wise  to  trus'  to  waitin'  to  git 
wealth. 


XLV 

HOW  FOLKS  LEARNED  TO  ROAST  POSSUM 

HIT'S  a  wonder  to  me  de  critters  ain't 
larnt  to  keep  a  distrus'us  mind  'bout 
Brer  Rabbit.  He  been  foolin'  'em  and 
foolin'  'em  twel  hit  look  like  dey  mought  know 
his  ways  by  now. 

One  sunny  day,  long  days  ago,  befo'  folks  had 
larnt  how  to  make  rabbit-hash,  or  how  to  roast 
er  possum  either,  Brer  Rabbit  was  lyin'  stretched 
on  de  top  er  Miss  Susan's  hen-house  sunnin' 
hisse'f.  He  had  his  shoulders  drawed  up  high 
and  his  head  all  kivered  up  under  his  fore-legs, 
his  fore-paws  crost  desso. 

D'rectly  Brer  Possum  come  by.  He  stop.  He 
look.  He  see  Brer  Rabbit  but  he  see  no  head. 
He  lope  round  on  de  y'o'her  side  de  hen-house. 
He  see  Brer  Rabbit,  but  he  don't  see  no  head. 
He  stop  short,  he  say: 

"Brer   Rabbit  dead, 
He  got  no  head." 

16  225 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 
Brer  Rabbit  he  don't  move,  he  say: 

"Naw,   I  ain't  dead, 
Ef  I  got  no  head." 

Brer  Possum  he  listen  good,  he  say: 

"What  Brer  Rabbit  said? 
Yit  he  got  no  head." 

Brer  Rabbit  don't  move,  he  des  'low  to  Brer 
Possum  dat  he  des  lyin1  dar  restin'  and  sunnin' 
hisse'f  whilst  his  ole  'oman  at  de  home-house  is 
pickin',  greasin'  and  fresh  wroppin'  his  head. 

Brer  Possum  he  grin  from  year  to  year.  He 
say : 

"Brer  Rabbit,  dat  so? 
Hit's  er  all  day  job  and  mo' 
Wid  my  ole  'oman  and  me 
To  git  my  head  wrop — I  see  !" 

Brer  Rabbit  he  don't  move  a  bit,  he  make 
ansah : 

"Maybe!    Maybe! 
What's  dat  to  me?" 

Brer  Possum  he  don't  wait  fer  no  word  mo'. 
Him  go  off  shamblin'  and  smilin';  nothin'  suit 

226 


-y  •'•**•   />i 

*s*^  .,.  iW1''* 


:^r 

V, 


^ 


r> 


'She  distrus'us  'bout  Brer  Rabbit's  tricks. 


ROAST    POSSUM 


him  better  'n  him  be  restin',  sunnin'  hisse'f,  and 
his  ole  'oman  settin'  pickin',  combin',  greasin', 
and  fresh  wroppin'  his  head.  He  run  home  dat 
lopin'  run,  draggin'  his  behime  foots  like  mos' 
half  his  leg  hittin'  de  groun'  and  lyin'  out  in  a 
track  at  ever  step  like  Possum  do  go. 

When  he  git  home  he  holler  to  his  ole  'oman 
to  git  out  de  best  new  home-spun  cotton-cord  fer 
to  wrop  his  ha'r;  he  holler  to  her  to  set  de  pot 
er  goose-grease  in  de  sun  so  hit  can  soften 
up.  He  say  he  done  larnt  a  trick  from  Brer 
Rabbit, 

His  ole  'oman  tell  him  dat  she  distrus'us  'bout 
Brer  Rabbit's  tricks,  but  Brer  Possum  don't 
listen  at  her.  He  git  de  ax,  set  hit  up  edge-ways 
on  de  choppin'-block.  Befo'  de  ole  'oman  and  de 
chillen  knew  what  he  gwine  do,  he  git  a  runnin' 
start  and  fling  hisse'f,  neck  or  naught,  right 
'crost  dat  ax-blade. 

Dar! 

'Twan't  nothin'  to  do  den  but  roast  dat  pos 
sum.  Ole  Aunt  Critty  she  roast  him.  He  done 
hisse'f  larnt  folks  how  and  dat  wid  his  own  fool 
ishness. 

Chillen,  'tain't  good  fer  folks  to  b'lieve  all  dey 
229 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

hears,  let  'lone  what  dey  sees.  I  knowed  er 
mighty  smart  man  onct  what  say  he  don't  b'lieve 
nothin'  he  sees  but  sunshine,  and  he  don't  b'lieve 
nothin'  he  hears  but  thunder. 


XLVI 

MISS    POLLY    PARROT    MOVES    FROM    THE 
KITCHEN    TO    THE   PARLOR 

LONG  time  ago  Miss  Polly  Parrot  useter 
stay  all  de  time  in  de  kitchen  wid  Aunt 
Gritty. 

Who  was  Aunt  Critty? 

She  was  Johnny  Mingo's  ol'  'oman.  She 
useter  be  the  cook-'oman  fer  Miss  Susan  and  de 
white  folks. 

Miss  Polly  Parrot  she  did  love  to  stay  in  de 
kitchen,  but  she  talk  too  much  and  tell  too  much 
to  suit  de  kitchen.  Dat  talkin'  tongue  of  her'n 
was  what  sont  her  off  at  las'  from  tastin'  de  top 
er  de  rich  pot  to  des  nibblin'  dry  crackers  in  de 
parlor. 

In  de  fust  time  Miss  Polly  and  Aunt  Critty 
useter  be  de  best  er  friends.  Aunt  Critty  useter 
tell  Miss  Polly  all  her  sec'ets.  Dunno  ef  she  ever 
do  git  fergiveness  fer  all  she  tole  Miss  Polly 
Parrot. 

She  tole  Miss  Polly  how  she  was  edgin'  off 
er  HT  bit  of  all  Miss  Susan's  cake  medjures  so 

231 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

as  she  could  git  herse'f  a  full  pan  of  de  best 
cake  fer  de  cake-walk  gwine  be  down  on  de  lower 
plantation.  She  had  no  better  sense  dan  to  tell 
Miss  Polly  how  her  'n'  her  chillen  been  slyly 
catchin'  'lasses  out  de  bung  hole  er  de  hogshead 
'ginst  a  candy-pullin'  what  gwine  be  down  on  de 
new  ground  place.  You  b'lieve,  too,  she  went  on 
and  tole  Miss  Polly  'bout  Johnny  Mingo — he  be 
longed  to  ole  Massa,  too — done  kilt  one  er 
Massa's  pigs  fer  de  barbecue.  De  pig  and  de 
man  bof  belonged  to  one  man  anyhow. 

No  sooner  Aunt  Critty  done  tole  all  she  know 
dan  Polly  turn  in  to  tell  all  she  know.  Dar !  Ef 
dat  tellin'  didn't  'larm  all  de  plantation.  Miss 
Polly,  she  hop  up  in  de  kitchen  winder,  and  she 
call  and  she  bawl  twel  de  white  folks  hear  her: 

"Law — sake !     Law — sake ! 
Cuffey  got  a  cake! 
Cuffey  got  a  cake!" 

Miss  Susan  she  look  out  de  parlor  winder. 
Sho  'nough  Cuffey,  dat's  Aunt  Critty 's  ol'es'  boy, 
got  a  cake,  and  de  white  folks  ain't  yit  eat  nothin' 
off  dat  bakin'.  'Cos'  Aunt  Critty  'bleeged  to  beat 
dat  boy  ? 

Didn't  she  know  Cuffey  had  dat  cake  ? 
232 


MISS    POLLY    PARROT 


Nummine,  chillen,  'tain't  no  business  to  you 
nor  me  what  Aunt  Critty  know. 

She  'bleeged  anyway  to  beat  dat  boy,  and  ev'y 
lick  she  hit  him,  she  say : 

"You  let  de  white  folks  ketch  you  stealin'  ag'in, 

I'll  kill  you! 

You  let  de  white  folks  ketch  you  stealin'  ag'in, 
111  kill  you !" 

All  dat  fuss  tickle  Miss  Polly  and  she  des  set 
in  dat  winder  and  'nigh  'bout  crack  her  sides 
laughin'. 

Next  day  she  gwine  tell  some  mo'  tales  on 
Aunt  Critty,  and  do  some  mo'  laughin'.  Miss 
Susan  she  come  in  de  kitchen,  des  like  ladies 
do  sometimes.  She  look  dis  way,  dat  way,  thoo 
her  specks,  seein'  no  mo'n  she  should,  when  heah 
start  up  Miss  Polly  Parrot  ag'in  callin'  and 
bawlin' : 

"  'Lasses  in  dat  kershaw  neck, 
'Lasses  in  de  bowl! 
Savin'   'lasses   for  a  stew — 
Kershaw  full — who  stole  ?" 

Miss  Susan  peerin'  thoo  her  glasses  say : 

"Critty,  what  my  Polly  say? 
I  can't  un'stan'  her  talk  to-day." 

233 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

Critty  say:  "Law  know,  Missus,  I  dunno." 
Miss  Susan  des  by  accident  upsot  dat  kershaw. 

Dar!    Dat  'lasses  roll  over  de  floor. 

Aunt  Critty  she  drap  down  on  de  floor  go  to 

moppin'  up  de  'lasses  wid  de  dish  rag,  she  low' : 

"Bless  my  life,  I  never  know 
A  kershaw  be  dis  ripe  befo' ! 
So  ripe  de  sweetness  runnin'  out, 
Runnin'  all  around  about!" 

But  Miss  Polly  ain't  done  tellin'  all  she  know 
yit.  A — dar  she  sets  perched  in  de  kitchen  win 
der  and  she  call  and  she  bawl : 

"I  know  flour  in  de  punkin  shell, 
Oh,  la,  honey,  I  'bleeged  to  tell ! 
Nice  white  flour  in  de  punkin  shell, 
Oh,  la,  honey,  I  'bleeged  to  tell !" 

Miss  Susan,  she  'low: 

"Critty,  what  my  Polly  say  ? 
I  can't  un'stan'  her  talk  to-day." 

Aunt  Critty  say:  "Law  know,  Missus,  I 
dunno." 

Miss  Susan  she  plunk  de  punkin  shell  wid  her 
middle  finger — des  so.  Hit  don't  go — plink — 

234 


MISS    POLLY    PARROT 


plink — like  a  ripe  punkin  do  go.  Hit  go — plunk 
— plunk!  Miss  Susan  des  accident  up-sot  dat 
punkin  shell.  Out  fly  de  flour ! 

Aunt  Critty  she  go  to  stoopin'  down  breshin' 
up  de  flour,  she  'low : 

"Bless  my  life,  I  never  know 
Punkins  be  dis  ripe  befo'! 
All  de  'ceptions  flyin'  out, 
Flyin'  all  around  about!" 

Ever  Aunt  Critty  do  git  fergiveness  fer  all  de 
sec'ets  she  done  tole  Miss  Polly! 

Miss  Polly  she  ain't  done  tole  all  she  know  yit. 
She  hook  down  her  bill  and  chuckle.  Den  she 
call  and  she  bawl : 

"Sugar  in  de  gourd 
An'  you  can't  git  it  out! 
Hey,  cook-'oman, 
What  you  'bout? 
Sugar  in  de  gourd, 
You  got  it  in, 
Now  you  git  it  out  ag'in!" 

Chillen,  dat  was  too  much  fer  Aunt  Critty. 
She  got  de  churn  dasher  to  Miss  Polly  Parrot, 
she  did. 

Miss  Polly  Parrot  she  was  glad  to  flew  out  de 
235 


BEHIND   THE    DARK    PINES 

winder,  she  was.  She  flew  clean  out  de  kitchen 
winder  into  de  parlor  winder.  Dat  was  her  last 
long  flight.  She  been  in  de  parlor  ever  sence. 
She  feared  to  go  back  to  de  kitchen.  She  say  de 
kitchen  too  warm  er  place  fer  her  and  de  ladies. 
But  don't  you  b'lieve  dat  she  don't  miss  dat 
tastin'  of  de  rich  top  of  de  pot  a  many  a  time 
whilst  she  peckin'  dry  crackers. 

Chillen,  de  ole  rule  was  er  good  one:  "What 
ever  you  do,  don't  be  cotch  doin'  it." 


XLVII 

HOW  BRER  DEER  WAS  PUNISHED  FOR  STEALING 
GOOBERS 

AFTER  Brer  B'ar  give  Brer  Fox  de  swole 
head  he  got  de  rest  er  his  goobers  hauled 
up  all  right. 

He  piled  'em  up  in  de  cornder  of  de  smoke 
house.  Dar  he  laid  'em  to  parch  and  eat  on 
when  winter  evenin's  he  don't  feel  like  stirring 
round  much. 

Brer  Rabbit  done  soon  eat  to  de  bottom  er  dat 
long  bag  and  he  wants  some  mo'  goobers.  He 
run  up  on  Brer  Fox  one  day,  he  say : 

"Brer  Fox,  le's  you'n'  I 
Go  and  try 
To  go  see  Brer  B'ar 
And  steal  de  goobers  dar." 

Brer  Fox  he  shake  his  head,  he  do,  he  say : 


'Naw,  naw,  follerin'  you 
Done  git  me  nigh  kilt,  fer  true. 
I'll  no  grabble  goobers  wid  you." 

237 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

D'rectly  Brer  Deer  come  'long.  His  face  was 
white  den,  but  his  tail  was  long  and  wavin'. 

Brer  Rabbit  he  say:  "Brer  Deer,  le's  you  'n' 
me  grab  goobers  from  Brer  B'ar,"  sez  he.  Brer 
Deer  he  done  fergit  de  time  Brer  Rabbit  got 
him  dat  white  face,  and  he  'member  de  time 
Brer  Rabbit  done  sont  de  hunters  de  wrong  track 
and  so  did  him  a  good  turn,  so  he  consent  to  go 
in  pardners  wid  Brer  Rabbit. 

Dey  two  lift  de  smoke-house  do'  off  de  hinges, 
dey  do,  and  creep  into  Brer  B'ar's  smoke-house 
whar  he  done  heap  his  goobers  in  a  pile.  Dey 
brung  dey  long  bags.  Brer  Rabbit  he  so  nimble 
he  git  his  bag  full  fust  and  fling  hit  out  de 
do'. 

While  he  draggin'  hit  off  he  hear  Brer  B'ar 
comin';  straight  to  de  smoke-house  he  comin', 
growlin',  and  grumblin'.  Brer  Rabbit  he  drap 
his  bag;  he  run  round  de  smoke-house  whar  he 
can  peep  in  and  see  Brer  Deer  rattlin'  in  de  pile 
er  goobers,  he  say : 

"Brer  Deer,  you  got  no  time  to  run, 
Brer   B'ar  come  wid  ax   and   gun." 

Brer  Deer  trimblin'  all  over.  He  say:  "La, 
Brer  Rabbit,  what  can  I  do?" 

238 


'De  man  who  stole 
Thoo  this  knot-hole.' " 


HOW   BRER   DEER   WAS   PUNISHED 

Brer  Rabbit,  he  holler  thoo  de  knot-hole  he 
done  found  in  de  wall : 

"Brer  Deer,  slip  yo'  tail  thoo 
Dis  heah  knot-hole,  do ; 
Den   you   tell   Mister   B'ar 
Dat  you  is  des  got  dat  far, 
And  you  ain't  got  quite  thoo, 
'Caze  yo'  tail's  yit  out,  f er  true ; 
Tell  him  outside  he  can  fin' 
De  man  what  rob  his  goober-vine !" 

Brer  Deer  he  done  des  like  Brer  Rabbit  tell 
him.  Den  Brer  Rabbit  he  'low  to  run  off  and 
save  hisse'f  and  dat  bag  er  goobers  also  ef  he 
can.  But  des  as  Brer  Rabbit  run  round  de 
cornder  de  house,  Brer  B'ar  grab  him.  Dar! 

Brer  Rabbit  he  'bleeged  to  git  'way  from  B'ar 
'caze  hit  his  las'  day  ef  he  don't.  He  gwine  cl'ar 
hisse'f  ef  he  do  pound  up  Brer  Deer.  He  say: 

"Oh,  Brer  B'ar, 
Him  in  dar; 
Ef  you  don't  believe  me, 
Come  along  and  see 
De  man  who  stole 
Thoo  this  knot-hole." 

Wid  dat  Brer  Rabbit  run  to  de  knot-hole  and 
pull  on  Brer  Deer's  tail,  he  holler : 
n  241 


BEHIND   THE    DARK    PINES 

"Oh,  Brer  B'ar, 
He  in  dar; 
Come,  I  say, 
He  pullin'  'way." 

Brer  B'ar  come  runnin'  an'  hollerin',  "I'll  git 
him!  I'll  git  him!  I'll  git  him!" 

He  lam  loose  wid  his  ax  at  Brer  Deer's  tail, 
cut  it  short  off. 

Brer  Rabbit  say:  "I'll  run  round  de  y'o'her 
side  'n'  git  de  res'  of  him  fer  you." 

Brer  Rabbit  he  got  his  bag  er  goobers  and 
gone  on. 

When  Brer  B'ar  open  de  smoke-house  do', 
Brer  Deer  out  leap  him  and  gone  on  also.  Brer 
Deer  short-tail  ever  sence,  short  tail  as  Brer 
Rabbit. 

Chillen,  speculatin'  ain't  safe  an'  sure  fer  ev'y- 
body.  And  'tain't  never  good  to  'sociate  wid  de 
sinner,  'caze  whilst  you  aid  him  you  mo'n  apt  ter 
git  de  licks  what's  aimed  at  him. 


XLVIII 

BRER   DEER'S   REVENGE   ON    MISTER   TERRAPIN 

BRER  DEER  'low  he  sho  done  live  by  de 
hardes'  in  his  pas'  days,  and  now  Brer 
Tarrapin  done  say  he  can  beat  Brer  Deer 
in  a  race,  and  dat  was  de  hardes'  lick  yit — ef  it 
be  true.    So  Brer  Deer,  he  say: 

"Brer  Tarrapin,  I  bedoubt  you. 
It  'mains  fer  you  to  prove  hit  true." 

Brer  Deer  'low  Brer  Rabbit  done  cause  him  to 
git  a  white  face.  Brer  Rabbit  done  hoi'  his  tail 
whilst  Brer  B'ar  cut  it  off.  He  say  hit  hard 
times  wid  him,  but  he  say  fleetness  yit  lef  wid 
him.  He  say  he  know  he  can  beat  anything  in 
de  woods  when  it  comes  to  runnin'. 

Brer  Tarrapin,  he  up  and  'low  he  didn't  know 
so  good  'bout  dat;  he  'low:  "Brer  Deer,  'twixt 
me  and  you  hit'd  be  'bout  tit  fer  tat."  Now  of 
all!  Brer  Tarrapin,  he  ought  to  be  de  las'  man 
to  'spute  fleetness  wid  Brer  Deer  'caze  he  sho  is 
de  slowes'  man  in  de  woods. 

243 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

Brer  Deer  he  cl'ar  'stonish  most  outen  his 
speech ;  he  des  stan'  and  look  down  on  Brer  Tar- 
rapin. 

Brer  Tarrapin  wan't  dem  days  no  sech  crackle- 
back,  roughened  feller  as  he  is  now.  Dem  days 
de  roof  er  dat  house  what  he  totes  round  wid  him 
was  des  as  smooth  and  shiney  as  a  tortoi'-shell 
cat's  back. 

Brer  Deer  might  be  'bout  struck  speechless, 
but  he  can't  let  no  dare  like  dat  pass,  so  d'rectly 
he  pick  up  de  voice  ter  say: 

"It  'mains  fer  you  to  prove  it  true. 
Brer  Tarrapin,  I  redoubt  you." 

Dat  don't  put  no  change  on  Brer  Tarrapin. 
He  'low  he  done  pass  de  word  and  now  he  do 
stan'  ready  to  prove  it. 

So  de  critters  dey  sot  a  day  fer  de  race.  Right 
'long  in  Deer's  own  run  de  critters  chose  de 
three  mile  postes.  No  sooner  dey  done  sot  de 
postes  dan  Brer  Tarrapin  at  his  ole  time  cunnin' 
ways  set  three  of  his  bro'hers  on  de  course,  one 
at  de  start,  one  at  de  nex'  pos'  and  one  at  de  nex' 
pos'.  He  hisse'f  take  de  las'  pos'. 

Time  to  start  Brer  Deer  and  Brer  Tarrapin  at 
de  start  er  de  course. 

244 


BRER    DEER'S    REVENGE 


Brer  Deer  he  run  to  de  fus  pos',  he  holler, 
"Whar  you,  Tarrapin?" 

Brer  Tarrapin's  bro'her  make  ansah  right  foot 
de  pos' :  "Heah  me,  Brer  Deer." 

Co'se  Brer  Deer  was  Astonished.  But  he  run 
de  faster,  time  he  git  to  de  nex'  pos'  dar  sat 
Tarrapin.  Brer  Deer  nigh  'bout  kill  hisse'f  run- 
nin'  de  las'  time,  and  when  he  reached  de  las'  pos' 
dar  sot  Tarrapin. 

Dat  last  one  was  Brer  Tarrapin  hisse'f  sho 
'nough. 

Brer  Deer  plum  'maze  in  his  min'.  He  know 
he  can  run,  and  he  know  Brer  Tarrapin  do  be  de 
slowes'  man  in  de  woods.  But  now  Brer  Deer, 
he  don't  know  what  he  do  know.  Brer  Rabbit, 
he  set  side  de  run,  he  look  like  he  ain't  see 
nothin',  look  like  he  ain't  hear  nothin',  he  set 
'crost-legged  like  a  banjo  picker;  he  sing: 


"Ole  trick,  new  trick, 
Or  no  trick  at  all ! 
Count  up  de  Tarrapins, 
Dar  f o'  in  all !" 


Brer  Deer  he  pantin'  and  he  listenin'.     Brer 
Rabbit  he  jest  pat  his  foot  and  sing: 

245 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

"One  lick,  two  lick, 
Three  lick  or  fo' ! 
Tarrapin  fambly 
Trick  me  befo' !" 

Dar !  Brer  Deer,  he  done  got  de  'ceptions  outer 
dat  song.  He  straighten  up  he  did.  He's  mad 
'caze  he  been  fooled  s'  slick  wid  dat  trick  and  he 
come — blam!  wid  all  his  fo'  foots  on  Brer  Tar 
rapin's  back.  He  crack  up  Brer  Tarrapin's  back 
so  bad  dat  hit  crackle  up  twel  yit.  Off  Brer  Deer 
run  to  de  nex'  pos'  back'ards,  and — blim !  Down 
wid  all  fo'  foots  he  come  on  de  nex'  Tarrapin's 
back. 

Brer  Deer  he  tromple  on  de  back  of  ev'y  Tar 
rapin  on  dat  course.  Mo'n  dat  he  tromple  right 
now  on  de  back  of  ev'y  Tarrapin  what  he  come 
'crost  in  de  woods.  You  can't  find  nairy  Tarra 
pin  in  de  woods  what  Brer  Deer  ain't  done 
crackle  up  his  back  fer  him. 

Chillen,  sense  is  sometimes  safer  dan  swift 
ness. 


XLIX 

HOW  MISTER  RABBIT   GOT  A  GOOD  DINNER 

DAT  was  de  worst  piece  of  devilment  Brer 
Rabbit  ever  is  done. 

Brer  Rabbit  he  was  settin'  in  his  do' 
wid  his  chin  in  his  hands,  he  was.  His  eyes  shet 
tight,  he  swingin'  hisse'f  in  de  do'-way  singhr  : 
"All  de  time  scratchin'  and  a  pickin' !  And  I 
can't  s'  much  's  git  piece  er  fried  chicken."  He 
keep  up  a-sighin';  he  keep  up  a-cryin'.  He  sing: 

"Plenty  er  'bacca,  plenty  er  greens, 
Plenty  er  pickin'  of  new  snap  beans ! 
But  all  time  stealin',  all  time  pickin', 
Nairy  a  wing-bit  er  fried  chicken!" 

Des  den  Brer  Rabbit  he  hear  down  de  road: 
Trot!  Trot!  Trot!  'Twas  de  Preacher-Man. 
Oh,  yes,  ev'y  sorter  somebody  got  to  have  dey 
preacher.  Crow,  he  preaches  for  de  birds.  Dat 
what  de  ole  folks  useter  tell  me. 

Preacher-Man  he  have  on  a  high  hat,  so  high ! 
He  have  on  a  long  coat,  so  long!  He  ride  on  a 
po'  horse,  so  po' ! 

247 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

"Mornin',  Brer  Rabbit,"  says  he. 

"Mornin',  mornin',"  says  Brer  Rabbit,  says  he. 
"Whar  be  ye  gwine  to-day?" 

"I  was  des  gwine  down  to  Sis  Susan's  house," 
says  de  Preacher-Man,  "being  of  a  sort  of  a 
Fort'  Sunday,  she'll  be  lookin'  for  me,  and  mo'n 
dat  she  do  get  up  de  bes'  fried  chicken  dinner 


ever  was." 


Dat  des  do  make  Brer  Rabbit's  mouf  water, 
look  mos'  like  Mister  Preacher-Man  mought 
a-knowed  what  he  was  studyin'  'bout.  He  say 

to  hisse'f : 

• 

"Dat's  de  way  de  world  go  'round, 
Dat's  de  way  things  do  be   found. 
All  fer  dat  preacher ! 
None  fer  dis  creature!" 

Den  he  say  sorter  solemn : 

"Is  you  heard,  is  you  got  de  word 
From  dar  since  you  las'  heard?" 

"Not  since  las'  Fort',"  says  de  Preacher- 
Man,  lookin'  sorter  skeered  like. 

"Is  you  heard  from  de  chillen?" 

"Not  edzactly,  no-no-o-o-o,"  says  de  Preacher- 
Man. 

248 


HOW   RABBIT   GOT   A   GOOD    DINNER 

"Den  you  ain't  heard,  is  you,  dat  her  chillen 
is  tuck  wid  hilarious  chills,  and  she  down  wid  a 
terrifus  fever,  and  de  servants  tuck  wid  de 
mumps,  and " 

Preacher-Man  he  'gun  to  look  mighty  solemn. 

"Oho !"  says  Brer  Rabbit.  "Dar's  lots  er  news 
in  dis  neighborhood.  I  is  hearn  dat  Miss  Susan 
is  done  sont  her  las'  chicken  er  de  fryin'  size  up 
to  Mister  Snake's  funeral,  des  ten  miles  up  de 
road.  I  hear  dey  gwine  ter  give  him  a  great 
funeral,  long  as  dey  was  so  shy  er  him,  when  he 
was  livin'.  Dey  gwine  to  have  big  doin's  up  dar. 
I  wisht  ter  gracious  I  could  be  dar,  but  dey  all 
keep  de  'membrance  dat  me  'n'  him  wan't  speakin' 
when  he  was  tuck  off  so  sudden — no  mo'  was 
dey — and  dey  won't  give  me  no  invite;  but  I 
heard  'em  say  dat  dey  do  wisht  dat  de  Preacher- 
Man  could  be  dar." 

All  dat  time  Brer  Rabbit  talkin',  de  Preacher 
he  studyin'.  D'rectly  he  say:  "A  man  'bleeged 
to  go  whar  he  needed  mos'." 

Brer  Rabbit,  he  laugh  behime  his  hand  and 
say  easy: 


"Whar   de   bes'   eatin'   is, 
Dar  de  bes'  needin'  is." 

249 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

Preacher-Man  he  set  his  po'  horse  in  de  road 
ag'in  and  start  fer  whar  Brer  Rabbit  says  Mister 
Snake's  funeral  is  gwine  be. 

Den  Brer  Rabbit  he  jumped  out  de  do',  he  do; 
he  clap  his  heels  toge'her,  and  he  lit  out  fer  de 
spring-branch.  When  he  git  dar,  he  'gin  to 
dabble  in  de  wet  clay.  He  pat  and  he  work  wid 
hit  and  d'rectly  he  make  hisse'f  a  tall  hat  outer 
dat  clay,  same  like  de  Preacher-Man's  hat.  Den 
he  put  hit  on  his  head,  way  down  over  his  years ! 

Brer  Rabbit  he  do  laugh. 

He  laugh  and  he  work,  and  he  work  and  he 
laugh,  and  he  make  out  er  some  clay  a  long  coat, 
same  like  what  de  Preacher-Man  wo'. 

Brer  Rabbit  he  laugh. 

Den  Brer  Rabbit  he  make  hisse'f  a  pair  er 
saddle-bags  outer  dat  clay. 

Den  Brer  Rabbit  he  do  laugh. 

Den  he  stop  laughin',  he  do,  he  say : 

" Whoever  seed  a  preacher  walkiiv  down  de  road? 
A  boss  he  gotter  have,  ef  hit's  thin  as  a  boa'd !" 

So  Brer  Rabbit  he  take  up  a  stick,  he  do,  and 
he  kivver  hit  wid  dat  wet  clay,  twel  hit  look  like 
a  rale  sho  'nough  po'  hoss. 

Brer  Rabbit  he  do  laugh  den. 
250 


"Jumpin'  high — clippity,  down  de  road  to  Miss  Susan's/ 


HOW   RABBIT   GOT   A   GOOD    DINNER 

Brer  Rabbit  he  git  on  de  boss,  fling  on  de 
saddle-bags.  Dot  boss  won't  go.  He  whip  dat 
boss.  Hoss  won't  go.  Brer  Rabbit  he  won't  be 
outdone;  he  set  his  foots  on  de  groun'  and  off 
he  go  holdin'  to  be  bridle  rein  and  jumpin'  high 
— clippity,  down  de  road  to  Miss  Susan's  he  go. 
When  he  git  nigh  Miss  Susan's,  all  de  chillen  run 
tell  dey  Ma:  "Mister  Preacher-Man  comin'  and 
comin'  mo'  swif  dan  he  ever  come  befo'." 

Brer  Rabbit  he  make  like  he  tie  his  hoss  'ginst 
de  hitchin'  rack,  and  he  do  bol'ly  walk  in. 

Miss  Susan,  she  say:  "Mornin',  mornm'! 
Walk  right  in." 

Dat  what  Brer  Rabbit  do. 

Miss  Susan,  she  say:  "Take  off  yer  hat,  Brer 
Preacher-Man." 

But  dat  Brer  Rabbit  don't  'low  to  do. 

"Hem!  Hem!  Sister,"  says  he,  " 'scuse  me, 
but  er  misery  in  de  jaw  won't  lemme  take  off  dis 
hat." 

"  'Course,  'course/'  says  Miss  Susan.  Den  she 
say:  "Brer  Preacher-Man,  lemme  take  off  dis 
heavy  coat?" 

Dat  skeer  Brer  Rabbit  ag'in,  but  he  say: 
"Hem!  Hem!  Sister,  a  misery  in  de  shoulder 
blade  make  me  keep  on  dis  coat." 

253 


BEHIND   THE    DARK    PINES 

Miss  Susan,  she  say:  "'Course,  'course." 

Brer  Rabbit  he  hear  chickens  squallin'  in  de 
back-yard  and  hot  lard  spittin'  on  de  kitchen  fire, 
so  he  draw  his  hat  far'r  over  his  years  and  say, 
"Hem!  Hem!" 

De  chillen  dey  gigglin'  and  pullin'  on  dey  Ma's 
dress.  Dey  done  on  close  range  spy  out  who 
Brer  Rabbit  is.  Dey  say:  "Ma!  Ma!  Dat  ain't 
no  Preacher-Man!  Dat  des  old  Brer  Rabbit!" 

Brer  Rabbit,  he  say:  "What  dem  good  HT 
chillens  say?" 

Miss  Susan,  she  say :  "Dey  des  talkin'  foolish 
ness  like  chillen  does  do.  Dey  say  you  ain't  no 
Preacher-Man,  des  Brer  Rabbit,  de  which  ev'y- 
body,  nigh  or  furder,  know  dat  Brer  Rabbit  is 
de  very  worst  man  in  all  dis  country  round." 

"Hem!  Hem!"  says  he.  "I  des  now  pass 
Brer  Rabbit  settin'  in  his  do'  lookin'  mighty  good 
and  gloomiful." 

"Time  he  lookin'  gloomiful,  ef  he  ain't  good," 
says  Miss  Susan,  "  'caze  he  been  ca'yin'  on  scan- 
julous."  Den  she  let  in  to  'buse  Brer  Rabbit; 
she  'fuse  to  say  a  good  word  fer  him. 

Brer  Rabbit  he  egg  her  on  to  say  much  and 
mo'.  He  heah  dat  day  all  de  devilment  he  ever 
done  in  dat  settlement  and  mo',  too. 

254 


HOW    RABBIT   GOT   A   GOOD    DINNER 

Miss  Susan  she  done  set  one  'oman  ter  wring 
chickens'  necks,  Another  ter  pick  'em,  'nother  cook 
'oman  ter  fry  'em.  De  dishes  began  ter  come  in 
hot  and  fast.  Ole  Brer  Rabbit  he  eat  much  an' 
mo'  dan  even  ten  preacher-men  can  eat. 

Whilst  he  eatin'  Miss  Susan  she  keep  a-talkin' 
'bout  Brer  Rabbit's  meanness,  she  do. 

Brer  Rabbit  he  say  solemn  like:  "I  gwine  keep 
membrance  of  all  dis  you  tell  me  'bout  Brer 
Rabbit!  I  ain't  gwine  fergit  one  word  all  dis 
you  tellin'  me."  Brer  Rabbit  done  sop  ev'y  dish 
dry,  and  yit  he  might  er  even  den  got  off  unbe 
knownst  to  Miss  Susan,  but  she  done  sont  de 
chillen  out  to  water  de  Preacher-Alan's  hoss. 
Chillen  hoi'  de  water  to  dat  po'  hoss'  nose.  Nose 
melt  off.  Dey  set  up  a  gigglement,  and  keep  on 
waterin'  dat  hoss  twel  he  do  all  melt — 'cept  de 
stick  de  clay  be  daubed  on.  Den  dey  run  inter 
de  table  des  gigglin'  and  hollin' :  "Yo'  hoss  done 
melt  to  mud!  Yo'  hoss  done  melt  to  mud!" 

Brer  Rabbit  he  don't  know  what  to  do ;  he  des 
keel  over  like  he  done  faint  off. 

Den  dem  chillen  dey  holler:  "He  done  fall 
a-faintin'.  Po'  water  on  him!"  And  den  dey 
fetch  water  faster  dan  dey  ever  done  befo'.  Dey 
des  bodaciously  drench  Brer  Rabbit. 

255 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

•    Bar!    His  tall  hat  fell  off. 

Yas !    His  long  coat  melt  off. 

So!    His  big  boots  go.    . 

Ho!    His  great  gloves  slip  off. 

Sho !    Nobody  'tall  but  old  Brer  Rabbit ! 

Miss  Susan  she  so  'stonish  she  des  hang  her 
mouf  open;  can't  speak  a  mumblin'  word. 

Brer  Rabbit  he  lit  out,  he  did.  He  holler  back 
as  he  go:  "I  gwine  keep  de  'membrance  of  all 
dat  you  tole  me  'bout  Brer  Rabbit.  I  sho  is !" 

Chillen,  don't  fix  up  to  look  like  dem  what's 
better'n  you,  'caze  when  de  dye  wash  off  you  may 
look  wo's'n  you  is. 


HOW  PEOPLE  LEARNED  THE  TASTE  OF  POSSUM 
AND  POTATOES 

DES  befo'  Brer  Possum  been  so  bad  fool 
plantin'    pardners   wid    Brer    Pig   Brer 
Rabbit   had  done   come   'long  ax   Brer 
Possum  will  he  pitch  de  crap  and  plant  pardners 
wid  him.    Brer  Possum,  like  de  po'  man,  he  do  be, 
is  s'  glad  to  git  anybody's  help  dat  he  say  don't 
keer  ef  he  do  and  so  said,  so  done. 

Brer  Rabbit  make  like  he  gwine  do  de  faires' 
and  he  gin  Brer  Possum  de  fust  choice,  top  crap 
er  bottom  crap.  Brer  Possum,  feelin'  chilly  wid 
de  early  spring,  say  he'll  take  de  crap  de  sun 
shine  on — he'll  take  top  crap.  Brer  Rabbit  he 
take  den  and  plant  de  field  in  turnips.  Brer  Pos 
sum  and  his  crowd  nibble  greens  some,  but  by 
winter  dey  ribs  rattle  in  dey  skin. 

Next  year,  hope  high  in  de  heart,  Brer  Possum 
consent  to  plant  in  and  thoo  wid  Brer  Rabbit 
ag'in.  Dis  time  he  trust  to  hopin'  and  not  seein' 
and  he  choose  de  crap  dat  dirt  kiver.  Dat  year 
Brer  Rabbit  sow  de  field  in  black-eyed  lady  peas. 

18  257 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

Old  Pete  (starvation)  looked  Brer  Possum  in 
de  face  dat  year.  Yit  Brer  Rabbit  he  talk  so 
gentlemanlyfied  and  so  sympathize  wid  Brer  Pos 
sum  dat  he  consent  to  go  half  wid  Brer  Rabbit 
onct  mo'  and  he  hold  to  bottom  crap  fer  his  sheer 
ag'in.  Dat  season  Brer  Rabbit  see  fit  to  set 
'tater  slips.  Well  den. 

Ole  Pete  set  night  and  day  sider  Brer  Pos 
sum's  hearth  dat  winter  and  on  one  evenin'  Brer 
Possum  brusin'  round,  lookin'  fer  some  sorter 
vittles  to  tote  home  to  his  folks  come  upon  Brer 
Rabbit  and  his  crowd  all  settin'  in  a  ring  round 
a  fire  roastin'  'taters.  De  rich  smell  er  dat 
roastin'  hit  sho  rile  Brer  Possum.  He  bound  to 
make  a  try  fer  some  er  dem  'taters.  Laggin' 
man  as  he  is,  he  give  one  leap  midst  er  dat  ring ; 
he  scatter  dem  HT  rabbits  dis  way  and  dat  way, 
make  dey  eyes  pop  out  dey  heads  mo'n  dey  is 
popped.  Into  dat  bed  er  ashes  he  leap  bound  to 
scratch  fer  dem  'taters.  But — den — dat  bed  er 
coals  hot,  too  hot;  dem  'taters  hot  and  Crispin; 
crackin',  lettin'  sugar  out. 

Well — 'twas  a  greasy  roastin'  dat  Brer  Rabbit 
raked  out  dat  night.  Folks  is  knowed  ever  sence 
den  how  good  possum  go  wid  'taters  roast  in 
coals  and  ashes.  Possum  don't  hant  'tater  bed 

258 


POSSUM    AND    POTATOES 


nor  bank  no  mo'.     Mo'n  dat  he  don't  plant  pard- 
ners  no  mo'. 

Chillen,  you  maybe  risk  much  gwine  de  lone 
hand,  but  you  apt  to  reap  mo'. 


LI 

"PREACHIN'    AIN'T    PRACTICIN' " 

RABBITS  has  dey  regular  times  to  meet 
up  and  cuss  and  discuss,  samelike  free 
niggers.     Dem  rabbits  dey  goes  down 
to  a  sand  bar  in  de  creek,    and    dey    has    dey 
meetings  dar,  dey  ring  up  de  ring  on  dat  sand 
bar. 

One  time  dey  had  a  big  convention  dar.  Dey 
vote  and  vote,  dey  make  a  motion  and  take  a 
notion,  conglomerate  and  nominate.  Dey  pass 
laws,  and  by-laws,  and  try  laws.  Den  when  de 
convention  done  pass  sech  good  laws  dat  dey  feel 
jobly  'bout  it  dey  'cide  to  have  a  big  dance. 

Down  on  de  sand-bar  dey  dance.  Dey  cross 
dey  feet,  dey  shuffle  and  back-step,  some  pat  and 
de  y'o'hers  skip,  whirl  and  twirl. 

D'rectly  de  ol'es'  rabbit  in  de  bunch,  he  say: 
"Stop !  Stop !  Y'all  stop  dancin'.  I  hear  a  dog 
barkinV' 

De  rest  er  de  rabbits  say:  "Don't  listen  to  dat 
ole  slavery-time  critter.  Go  on  wid  yo'  dancin'. 
Convention  done  des  pass  a  law  dat  no  mo'  dogs 
gwine  run  no  mo'  rabbits.  Dance  on." 

260 


"He  lit  out,  he  did. 


"PREAGHIN1    AIN'T    FRACTION" 

On  dey  dance.  Skip,  rip,  tip!  Dance  and 
prance.  Heah  dey  go  shuffle  and  slide — swing 
and  cut  dat  pigeon-wing! 

Ol'es'  rabbit  say  ag'in:  "Stop!  stop!  stop 
dancin'!  Git  ter  runnin'!  I  heah  dat  dog 
barkin'  nigher." 

De  rest  er  de  rabbits  say:  "O,  go  on,  don't 
listen  ter  dat  ole  critter.  Don't  you  know  con 
vention  des  done  pass  de  law  dat  dogs  ain't  gwine 
no  mo'  run  rabbits." 

Heah  dey  go  shuffle  and  twirl,  whirl  and  hit 
a  back  step. 

Ole  rabbit  say :  "Stop !  Stop !  Quit  dancin' ! 
Dat  dog  mos'  heah !" 

Rabbits  say:  "Dance  on!  Dance  on!  Con 
vention  des  pass  de  law  no  dogs  don't  run  no  mo' 
rabbits." 

"Yas,"  dat  old  rabbit  say,  "but  den  dat  dog 
wan't  at  dat  convention — and — I  doubt  if  a  dog's 
jaw  gwine  obey  a  rabbit's  law."  He  lit  out,  he 
did.  He  wan't  too  soon  neither,  fer  heah  come 
de  dogs — and  de  way  dem  rabbits  scattered  out! 

Chillen,  hit  mighty  easy  fer  folks  to  make  good 
laws,  but  de  trouble  is  fer  to  git  folks  to  take  'em 
and  keep  'em. 

263 


LIT 

WHY  MISTER  MOCKING   BIRD   STAYS   AT  HOME 

OLE  days  all  de  birds  was  'bleeged  to  stay 
in  dese  woods  all  de  year  round. 

Dar  war'n't  no  flounce  'crost  de  sea 
fer  dis  one  and  flounce  to  be  mountain  fer  dat 
one.  Dey  all  hatter  stay  right  heah  on  dis  plan 
tation  and  sing  dey  bes1  songs  all  de  year  round. 
All  'cept  de  Mockin'  Bird.  He  Mister  Man's 
pet.  He  free  to  go  and  come  des  as  he  please. 
But  he  git  pettish  like  a  well  fed  nigger  and  he 
pretty  soon  get  to  be  too  frolicsome  and  too  free 
spoken. 

He  swingin'  on  de  top  limb  of  de  live  oak- 
tree  singin'  'bout  how  de  sea  sound  when  Miss 
Swaller  start  up: 

"R_R— Route— 

I  wish  my  time  was  out ! 
I'd  go  to  see 
Dat  dar  sea 
Ef  it  cos'  me 
Half-a-dollar ! 
Half-a-dollar ! 
R—R— Route— 
I  wish  my  time  was  out !" 

264 


"Til  sing  yo'  song— des   so!'" 


MISTER    MOCKING    BIRD 


Mister  Mockin'  Bird  he  take  up  de  word  from 
Miss  Swaller : 

"Go  de  route — 

R—R— Route— 
I'll  sing  while  you're  out 
I'll  charge  you 
Less  to  sing  it,  too. 
Dan — half-a-dollar ! 
Half-a-dollar !" 

Co'se  Miss  Swaller  jump  at  de  offer  land  off 
she  go.  She  stay  long  as  she  please,  come  back 
to  suit  herself,  leave  Mister  Mockin'  Bird  at 
home  singin1  her  song  for  her. 

Den  Mister  Mockin'  Bird  he  sing  'bout  a 
mighty  warm  holler  he  know  a  mighty  fur  away. 
De  HT  bit  Wren  say: 

"Oh,  me ! 
I    like   ter   see 
Ef  it  suit  me ! 
Twitter-ree ! ! !" 

Mockin'  Bird  say  desso:  "Why'n  you  go?" 
Wren  sing: 

"Oh,  me! 
Can't  you  see? 
Folks'd  miss  me, 
Oh,  me!" 

267 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

Mockin'  Bird  say  desso,  "You  go.  I'll  sing 
yo'  song — des  so!" 

Sho  'nough  he  set  dar  and  he  twitter  des  same 
as  de  Wren : 

"Oh,  me! 
Can't  see  me 
In  dis  tree. 
Oh,  me ! 

Twitter-ree " 

• 

Mister  Man  don't  get  chance  to  miss  Miss 
Wren's  singing.  Mister  Mockin'  Bird  mock  her 
song  so  proper. 

Same  way  it  was  wid  all  de  birds,  de  Robin, 
de  Whip-po'-will,  de  Scratchin'-Billy,  de  Red 
Crown  Warbler,  and  a  many  a  mo'. 

Mister  Mockin'  Bird  he  such  a  'bligin'  feller 
as  can't  say  "no"  to  none  at  all.  He  offer 
to  sing  fer  one  and  all.  He  doing  dat  same 
thing  twel  yet.  He  useter  be  de  free's'  bird  of 
all.  Now  he  ain't  free  at  all,  and  he  done  bind 
hisse'f  and  wind  hisse'f  right  heah  wid  takin' 
all  dem  song-chunes  on  hisse'f.  Hot  or  cole, 
dark  or  fair,  he  right  out  dar.  He  keepin'  up 
de  songs  of  all  de  birds  so  good,  us  and  de  woods 
don't  hardly  miss  'em  whilst  dey  off  on  a  frolic. 

268 


MISTER    MOCKING    BIRD 


Chillen,  hit  mighty  bad  to  take  too  much  on 
yo'se'f  'caze  when  you  take  it  on,  nobody  gwine 
to  take  it  off. 


LHI 

HOW   JOHNNY    MINGO    GOT    FREE    AT    LAST 

JOHNNY  MINGO  got  free  at  last.     How? 
Let  Mammy  tell  it. 
In  de   fust  times  like  I   done  tole  you, 
Johnny  Mingo  was  de  onlies'  ole  rale,  right-black 
man  in  dis  country.     De  white  folks  done  fool 
him  to  de  ship  by  wavin'  a  red  handkercher  befo' 
him.    When  he  on  dat  ship  dey  tie  dat  red  hand 
kercher  on  his  head — den  dey  got  him.      Long 
as  he  wear  dat  red  handkercher  he's  a  white 
man's  nigger. 

Later  when  black  folks  'gun  to  thicken  up  in 
dis  country,  dey  talks  much  sec'et  'bout  how  dey 
wants  to  git  free.  Johnny  Mingo  also  talk  to 
hisse'f,  'bout  he  wisht  he  was  free.  He  done 
stole  gole  to  make  hisse'f  free,  but  time  he  roll 
dat  gole  outen  his  handkercher  into  dat  pot,  and 
tie  dat  handkercher  on  his  head  ag'in — den  he 
des  as  far  fum  bein'  free  as  ever.  Also  he  mos' 
skeered  to  hang  round  de  swamp,  feared  folks 

270 


HOW  JOHNNY   MTNGO  GOT  FREE 

gwine  know  well  as  he  what  dem  frogs  tellin' 

'bout : 

"You  stole! 
You  stole ! 
Pot-er-gole !" 

Also,  he  mo'  skeerder  'bout  folks  findin'  out 
what  Chuck-will's-widder  sayin'  'bout: 

'  'Twixt  de  elm  and  de  white  oak." 

He  feared  some  folks  mought  find  out  what 
he  can't  find  out ;  'twixt  which  elm  tree  and  which 
white  oak.  All  dat  pester  Johnny  Mingo's  mind 
so  much  dat  he  done  mos'  gin  out  de  idee  of  ever 
bein'  free,  when  one  night  he  went  to  sleep 
Massa's  nigger  Mingo,  and  woke  up  nex'  day 
his  own  man.  Jingo!  De  ballet  er  dat  tale  hit 
run  sorter  so: 

''Rogue  come 

To  rogue's  home, 

Steal  rogue  fum 

'Mong  rogue's  home, 

Make  rogue  roam 

From  rogue's  home 

To  cross  ag'in  sea-foam." 

What's  de  'ception  er  dat  song?  Well,  um — 
hum.  Chillen,  you  hatter  study  dat  out  fer 
yo'se'f,  'caze  dat's  one  riddle  rhyme  yo'  black 

271 


BEHIND   THE    DARK    PINES 

Mammy  ain't  gwine  tell  to  no  white  folks.  But 
dat  red  handkercher  hit  was  de  'casion  of 
Johnny  Mingo  b'longin'  to  Mister  Man,  and  dat 
red  handkercher  was  de  'casion  of  Johnny  Mingo 
gittin'  free. 

Mister  Lizard  he  been  alVs  a  sleek  man  and 
a  smart  man.  Some  folks  s'pose  he's  a  'ceivin' 
man.  I  don't  know  so  good  'bout  dat.  But 
anyhow  he  done  made  his  livin'  by  stealin'  Mis 
ter  Snake's  hoe-cake.  So  now  Mister  Lizard 
done  got  his  vittles,  den  he  study  'bout  whar  he 
gwine  to  git  his  cloze.  Hit  been  in  de  past  times 
wid  him  like  de  ballet  de  folks  sings  over  de 
river  when  times  is  hard: 

"Wait,  head!    Wait,  feet! 
But  de  stomach,  hit  say,  eat!" 

But  now  he  done  got  his  fill  of  somethin'  to 
eat,  and  he  'gin  to  study  'bout  he  gotter  git  some- 
thin'  to  wear.  So  projec'in'  on  dat  ques'in'  Mis 
ter  Lizard  hid  hisse'f  in  de  shucks  of  Johnny 
Mingo's  pallet  bed,  he  did.  Den  'twixt  daylight 
and  dark  he  slip  to  Johnny  Mingo's  headin',  he 
do,  and  den — easy — he  slip  hisse'f  under  Johnny 
Mingo's  head  handkercher.  Mister  Lizard  he 
slips  and  slide  round  and  round  under  dat  head 

272 


HOW  JOHNNY   MINGO  GOT   FREE 

handkercher  twel  d'rectly  he  git  dat  head  hand- 
kercher  loose.  Den,  off  he  slip,  draggin'  dat 
head  handkercher  wid  him. 

Come  daylight  Johnny  Mingo  he  git  up  and  he 
look  high  and  he  look  low  for  dat  head  handker 
cher,  but  he  don't  find  hit.  Dar.  Now  he's  a 
free  man.  Free  to  work,  ef  he  wish,  and  shirk 
when  he  can. 

Johnny  Mingo  los'  his  handkercher.  Johnny 
Mingo's  ole  'oman  didn't  lose  hern.  Did  she  git 
free?  Don't  you  see? 

De  one  dat  work  free  don't  easy  git  free. 
Johnny  Mingo  don't  know  whar  his  red  hand 
kercher  go,  twel  one  day,  long  time,  he  run  up 
on  Mister  Lizard  dress'  in  blue,  wid  a  red  hand 
kercher  tied  round  his  neck.  Right  den  Mister 
Lizard  git  his  name  folks  call  him  by:  Blue  Boy 
wid  a  red  handkercher  round  his  neck. 

Was  dat  'fo'  de  war?  'Co'se  'twas  'fo'  de 
war.  Does  you  see  critters  now  'zemblin'  folks 
dat  way  sence  de  war  ?  Yas.  Dar  was  some  few 
free  niggers  'fo'  de  war. 

Right  den  Mister  Lizard  made  Another  step 
to  gittin'  rich.  Des  you  git  yo'  vittles  and  cloze 
insu'd  you,  and  hit  ain't  hard  fer  to  fill  de  money- 
puss,  den. 

19  273 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

Tell  you  dat  riddle  rhyme,  and  sense  you  cle 
'ceptions  of  hit?  Naw!  Naw!  Some  things 
niggers  know  white  folks  ain't  got  no  business 
ever  knowin'. 

Chillen,  whe'r  it  be  best  to  be  free  or  not  who 
know?  De  apple  tree  outside  de  fence  has  a 
many  a  hand  to  shake  it  rough. 


LIV 

THE   OLD   FOLKS    OF  THE   WOODS 

DE  owls  are  thickenin'  up  in  de  woods 
mightily.  Nights  when  I  leaves  y'll 
sleep  in  yo'  beds  I  hear  dem  owls  des 
talkin'  back  and  fort'  to  each  y'o'her  in  dem  dark 
pines. 

In  de  ole  days  dey  was  two  ole  owls,  and  dey 
was  ole,  ole  owls,  and  dey  \vas  lookin'  fer  com- 
p'ny.  Dey  bresh  and  fix  up  dey  nest  in  de  holler 
tree  and  den  waited  fer  comp'ny. 

Who  was  dey  comp'ny  ?  De  ole,  ole  folks  was 
gwine  to  be  dey  comp'ny.  De  ole  owls  is  ole 
folks  and  de  ole  folks  is  ole  owls,  ef  dey  lives  to 
be  ole  'nough.  When  ole  folks  gits  too  ole  to 
die,  den  dey  bes  owls. 

Is  any  folks  on  dis  plantation  turned  to  be 
owls  ? 

No,  chillen,  'caze  dar  ain't  any  of  'em  ole 
'nough.  But — on  de  next  plantation — and  de 
next — maybe. 

In  de  fust  times  one  night  des  at  de  break  of 
275 


BEHIND   THE    DARK    PINES 

de  day  like  I  was  tellin'  you  dem  two  ole  owls 
was  settin'  on  ^two  hills  fur  apart,  'way  behime 
dem  dark  pines.  Dey  was  lookin'  fer  comp'ny 
den.  De  fust  one  holler  to  de  y'o'her: 

"You — you — you 
Didn't   stay   home 
Las'  night " 

De  nex'  one  holler  back : 

"Naw,  nor  you — you — 
You  nuther! 
Who — who — who — was  dar  ?" 

De  fust  one  holler  back: 

"John   Patton   and  his  wife 
Ned  Tatton  and  his  wife 
And  some  one  or  two 
Mo' — mo' — mo !" 

De  nex'  one  ax: 

"Will  dey  stay 
Home  ?  Home  ?  Home  ?" 

De  fust  one  'low: 

"Yas,  and  who — who — 
Who'd  you  bring  home?" 

276  ' 


'Dey  bresh  and  fix  up  dey  nest." 


THE   OLD   FOLKS  OF  THE   WOODS 

De  nex'  one  give  de  ansah : 

"Joe  Bratton  and  his  wife, 
Tobe  Slatton  and  his  wife, 
And,  La'  knows, 
Who— all!" 


De  fust  one  ax: 

"Will    dey   stay    home 
Wid  we— all?" 

De  nex'  one  say : 

"Yas,  dey  same  as  we — all, 
And  we  is  de  same  as  dey — all." 

Den  John  Patton  and  his  wife  and  Ned  Tatton 
and  his  wife  and  Joe  Bratton  and  his  wife  and 
Tobe  Slatton  and  his  wife  and  all  de  rest  of  'em 
start  in  ansahin'  back  and  fort',  too: 

"Who  you  all? 
Yas,  we  all 
Same's  you  all !" 

Dar's  'nough  comp'ny  now  in  de  woods  fer  de 
owls.  All  dem  ole  folks  what  dey  talks  'bout  and 
ansah  back  and  fort'  wid,  dey  is  owls — dey  was 
too  ole  to  die,  and  dey  stay  now  all  time  wid  de 
owls. 

279 


BEHIND   THE    DARK    PINES 

De  owls  is  mighty  wise  critters,  'twon't  do  fer 
de  sense  and  'sperience  of  de  ole  folks  to  die  out 
de  world,  some  er  dat  sense  got  to  live  in  holler 
trees,  er  big  books,  er  some  whar  'no'her. 

Chillen,  take  keer  who  you  'vite  to  yer  house 
fer  you  don't  know  how  long  dey'll  stay  wid  you. 


LV 

THE   DYEING   EXPERIENCE   OF   MISTER   RABBIT 

OLE  Miss  Rabbit  she  a  kinder  anxious 
somebody.  She  done  seen  so  much 
trouble.  Her  eyes  done  got  nigh  'bout 
pop  outer  her  head  watchin'  fer  to  see  whicher 
way  and  How  Mister  Rabbit  is  comin'  home. 

His  eyes  nigh  'bout  popped  outer  his  head 
peepin'  out  fer  to  see  whicher  way  and  how  is  de 
safe  way  fer  him  to  get  home.  Yit  Mister  Rab 
bit  he  do  keep  steady  at  his  devilment  and  tricks. 

One  day  Miss  Rabbit,  she  at  de  bored  well 
doin'  de  week's  washin',  de  chillen  all  off  huntin' 
pa'tidge  eggs,  Mister  Rabbit  he  come  home. 
'Twa'n't  nobody  in  de  house.  He  take  up  de 
drinkin'  gourd.  Miss  Rabbit  she  des  done  burnt 
out  de  mouf  hole  in  de  handle  of  a  new  green 
gourd  and  done  scrape  and  holler  and  scrape  hit 
out  to  make  a  new  drinkin'  gourd  fer  de  fambly 
fer  de  nex'  year. 

Mister  Rabbit  he  take  dat  gourd  in  de  shed 
room,  and  he  shet  to  de  do',  he  do.  He  pull  up 
de  chist  'ginst  de  do'  and  fasten  it  close.  Den 

281 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

he  tuck  out  his  pocket  knife  and  set  to  cuttin'  up 
dat  new  gourd.  He  'low  to  cut  and  carve  a  new 
set  er  teef,  'caze  he  been  missin'  teef  ever  sence 
he  knocked  out  mos'  de  teefes  dat  he  had  in  his 
head  at  Miss  Susan's  cake  walk. 

'Bout  time  he  git  thoo  makin'  dem  teefes  and 
settin'  em  in  his  mouf,  Miss  Rabbit  she  come  in 
de  front  room  do'.  She  stir  up  de  coals  and  de 
chunks  in  de  fire  place,  she  put  on  a  new  back 
log,  she  put  a  bit  on  de  meat  hook  over  de  fire, 
and  she  set  de  skillet  on  de  coals  to  git  het  up. 
She  po'  de  clabber  out  de  jar  in  de  churn,  and  she 
turn  'round  and  'round  to  look  fer  de  gourd  fer 
ter  dip  water  fer  to  rinse  off  de  churn  dasher. 

Mister  Rabbit  he  no  sooner  got  dem  gourd 
teef  set  in  his  mouf  dan  he  spy  Miss  Rabbit's 
dye-pot  whar  she  dips  de  hanks  er  yarn  in.  De 
dye-pot  settin'  out  on  de  shed  room  winder  shelf. 
Dat  make  him  take  a  notion,  what  make  him 
laugh.  Lawsy-massy-me !  His  mouf  is  so  full 
now  er  teefes  dat  when  he  laugh  he  sound  like 
somebody  chatterin'  and  chokin'. 

Miss  Rabbit  she  stop  looking  fer  de  gourd  fer 
to  rinse  her  churn  dasher.  She  stop  and  listen. 

Mister  Rabbit  he  dip  de  rag  mop  in  de  dye-pot 
and  he  laugh  agin, 

282 


"  'Go  way  fum  dat  do'.' 


THE    DYEING  OF   MISTER   RABBIT 

Miss  Rabbit  she  sho  some  er  de  chillen  in  de 
shed-room  done  drown  in  de  wash-tub,  or  done 
cotch  a  fire  and  clean  burnt  up.  She  drap  de 
dasher  and  run  to  de  shed-room  do'. 

De  do'  won't  open. 

Ole  Mister  Rabbit  he  rubbin'  de  mop  on  his 
whiskers,  yit  laughin'  to  study  'bout  how  he 
gwine  fool  de  folks  at  de  next  settlement. 
"He— he!  He— he!!"  His  whiskers  ain't 
grey  now;  he  move  de  dye-mop  dis  way  and 
dat. 

Miss  Rabbit  she  shake  and  she  shake,  she  beat 
and  she  beat  at  dat  do\ 

Mister  Rabbit  he  des  now  hear  her  at  dat  do'. 
He  say  way  down  deep  in  his  th'oat,  bes'  he  can 
talk  wid  his  mouf  so  full  er  teef,  "Go  way  fum 
dat  do'." 

Miss  Rabbit,  she  'low:  "You  dar,  ole  man? 
Gracious  me,  ole  man,  what  you  doin'  in 
dar?" 

Mister  Rabbit,  he  'low :  "Go  way  fum  dat  do'. 
I'm  dyein!" 

Miss  Rabbit  she  shove  and  she  push  worser, 
yit  she  can't  budge  dat  do'.  Den  she  run  hol- 
lerin'  out  de  house  to  git  up  de  chillen  and  'larm 
de  plantation.  She  holler  up  de  ol'es'  boy  and 

285 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

sont  him  atter  de  Snake-Doctor.  She  call  up  de 
nex'  ol'es'  boy  and  sont  him  atter  de  Preacher 
Crow.  She  sont  de  nex',  and  de  nex',  and  de 
nex',  fer  ter  give  de  ansah  to  de  feller  servants 
and  to  'larm  all  de  plantation  'round.  She  tell 
'em  don't  spare  dey  breaf  and  dey  wind  'caze 
dey  daddy  say  he  dyin'. 

No  sooner  dan  Miss  Rabbit  gone  ter  git  up 
de  chillen,  dan  Mister  Rabbit  done  got  fixed  to 
suit  hisse'f.  Den  out  de  shed-room  winder  he 
lipt  and  he  lopt  down  de  cross-cut  path  to  de 
next  settlement. 

Time  de  chillen,  de  neighbors,  de  preacher,  de 
whole  plantation  git  ter  de  house  Miss  Rabbit 
she  set  up  sech  an  'larm  as  never  was,  'bout  her 
ole  man  say  he  was  dyin'. 

Woodpecker,  he  out  de  side  er  de  house : 

"Tap!      Tap! 
Rap!    Rap!" 

He  rivin'  coffin  boards. 

In  dash  de  Snake-Doctor. 

Miss  Rabbit  twix  hollerin'  and  cryin'  tell  him 
Mister  Rabbit  he  done  tole  her  thoo  de  do'  he 
dyin'.  She  spec'  now  he  gwine  say  he  dead. 

286 


THE    DYEING  OF  MISTER   RABBIT 

She  say  when  he  tell  her  he  dyirT  his  teefes  deys 
chatterin'  in  his  head  den. 

Snake-Doctor  say  dat  a  mighty  bad  sign  'caze 
when  is  any  body  heard  Mister  Rabbit's  teefes 
chatterin'  befo'?  Den  he  say:  "Whar  he?" 

Miss  Rabbit  she  p'int  to  de  shed-room  do',  she 
'low:  "Dar  he." 

Snake-Doctor,  he  'low:  "Somebody  bust  open 
de  do'." 

Des  as  de  whole  plantation  was  'bout  to  turn 
loose  and  bust  de  shed-room  do'  down  Mister 
Fox  come  'long. 

He  'low:  "Hi,  what  y'all  want  to  bust  de  do' 
down  fer?" 

De  folks  and  critters  'low :  "  'Caze  Brer  Rab 
bit  in  dar.  He  done  say  he  dyin'.  Spec'  d'rectly 
he  gwine  say  he  dead." 

Mister  Fox  clap  his  leg,  double  up  and  laugh 
and  laugh,  he  do.  He  'low:  "Ef  you  all  honin' 
atter  seein'  Brer  Rabbit  des  go  'crost  to  de  next 
settlement.  Brer  Rabbit  dar  wid  his  whiskers 
dyed  bodacious  red  wid  poke-berry  juice,  new 
gourd  teef  in  his  mouf.  Him  pickin'  de  banjo 
and  jokin'  'mongst  de  gals." 

Dat  sort  er  broke  up  de  funeral  and  de  bu'yin'. 

Preacher  Crow,  he  flounce  out,  he  say:  "Dis 

287 


BEHIND    THE    DARK    PINES 

heah  de  hardest  house  fer  to  git  up  a  weddin'  in, 
or  a  funeral  in  ever  he  did  see." 

Chillen,   de   man   what   fool   you   all   his  life 
mighty  apt  to  fool  you  in  a  job  er  dyein' ! 


(i) 


U.C.  BERKELEY  LIBRARIES 


333701 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


